Relationship Timeline: 20 Stages Of Dating You Should Know

Every couple is different, but the basic stages of dating hold true for most people. You may find yourself in a relationship thing, “What’s next?” It’s easy to get lost while dating and to lose track of where you stand with your partner. A healthy relationship is one where both partners are fulfilled and satisfied with the progression of their relationship. Whether you’re two days or two years into a relationship this timeline will work as a guide to help you navigate a healthy relationship.

The timeline begins with one of the hardest parts about dating. Working up the courage approach your crush to let them know how you feel is scary. Whether it’s love at first sight with a stranger at a bar or a gradual relationship formed with a friend, it’s never easy to open up about how you feel. Begin by taking a deep breath, and starting a conversation.

Don’t get ahead of yourself. This isn’t THE date. Save wedding planning for later in the timeline. Dating can be very nerve wracking. Now is time to live with the butterflies in your stomach while you go on your first date. By doing anything from dinner and a movie, to attending a concert, use this time to get to know each other. Guide the conversation to find out what their basic goals and interests are.

If all goes well, a kiss should naturally occur during or at the end of stage two. Dating isn’t simple, especially when it comes to finding the perfect moment for the first kiss. If it feels right, kissing is a great way to gauge your chemistry and the connection of your love. Don’t panic if you ended the night without touching lips. Some couples move slower and don’t kiss until the second or third date.

If getting physical is in your plans, having sex is an innate progression in the dating timeline. Before unbuttoning your jeans some couples prefer to discuss sexual history, though it’s not a must. By this time, you’ve at least talked about s-e-x, and both want to take it to the next level. Your first time with a partner can be awkward! Eliminate the first-time jitters by discussing what you like in bed as foreplay. Again, some duos move slower than others, so this milestone may fall later in the timeline for those who choose to wait.

If you haven’t by now, invite your lover over for a sleepover. Dating doesn’t have to be extravagant. Make a night of it by planning a date-night-in. Stock up on your favorite snacks and gear up for Netflix and chill night. Staying in is a great way to get to know each other. Without the distractions of the outside world, you can have an intimate night in having conversations about your wildest dreams. Using this conversation will help gauge where you’re at in the timeline. It’s also the night where you learn whether they snore or not, so have a pair of earplugs bedside just in case.

In the average relationship, a couple spends more time at one person’s house over the others for the majority of the dating timeline. Although you may have the nicer pad, be sure to see your partner’s home as well. It’s important to know how the person you’re dating lives. Be alert of any red flags, and pay attention to the little things around the house. Photos of friends, family, and trinket collections will give you a deeper understanding of him/her.

At this point in the dating timeline, you’ve figured out if you enjoy this person, and whether or not you want to see them exclusively. Make it official by having “the talk” about being monogamous. Going steady may not be a term used anymore, but it’s imperative that you make the distinction between dating and being exclusive. It’s time to seal the deal and date for real.

Meeting your partner’s friends can be like going on a first date all over again. You’re consumed by that same sick-to-your-stomach, butterflies feeling you had when first courting your now boyfriend/girlfriend. It’s common to feel like you’re preparing for a scary job interview, but just relax and be yourself. Dating the friends is critical because it gives you a better idea of who your partner is when you’re not around. You are who you hang with, so it’s important that you like their crew. The timeline can come to a screeching halt if you don’t click with the friends.

L is for love, and by now that’s what you’re feeling. Don’t be scared to be the first to drop the L word. This is a major way to take your dating life into the serious stages. Speed things along the timeline by being deep and honest with your emotions. Saying I love you lets the other person know exactly how you feel, and where you stand. Clarity only makes you a stronger team.

Now’s the time to let loose. You were all stressed out about meeting your partner’s friends that you forgot to have fun. Couples early in the dating timeline are often nervous to scare the other off, but being yourself is the best thing for a relationship. Let the true you shine by letting your weird side out in front of one another. Being silly and quirky keeps things interesting and leads to a long-lasting relationship. Being comfortable to be your true imperfect self is one of the most important stages of any relationship.

Chances are the person you’re dating spends the majority of their week at work. After spending over 40 hours a week together, they’ve built bonds with their coworkers that can’t be explained. Whether it’s joining after work drinks or going to the Christmas party, it’s important to connect with what your partner does, and who they do it with. An added bonus being you’ll finally understand who this Susan is that they complain about every day.

Similar to dating the friends, a perfect way to intensify the intimacy in the relationship is to know your boyfriend/girlfriend to a deeper degree. Invite them over to your next family BBQ, and show them where you grew up. Even if you’re horrified by the thought of your mom taking out the old photo album, the effects will pay off. You’ll get the opportunity to get a look at​ the timeline of your partner’s life before you became an item. This will give your partner a better understanding of how you were raised, and why you are the way you are. Do the same with them, and instantly feel feelings thicken.

At the point, the average person thinks, “what’s next?” Now’s the moment to discuss future goals as they pertain to you as a couple. Discuss how you want your timeline to progress. Fantasize about future life events while discussing how you see the relationship progressing. It’s crucial that you’re both open and honest about how you think dating is going, and where you see yourselves next. Being on the same page about what you want out of the relationship leads to a healthy and lasting bond.

Exploring the world and having new experiences together is a major milestone. Dating in a new country is the ultimate adventure. A lot goes into that weekend getaway to Mexico, including planning, preparing, and packing. Going on a vacation is the perfect way to test the waters on living together. Even if you have sleepovers multiple times a week, it’s impossible to know someone's living habits without actually living with them. Shacking up in a hotel for a week or two is the ultimate roommate test.

After returning from dating halfway around the world, you realized that is was easy living with one another for the week. If that’s the case, then the next step is to discuss moving in together. Have a chat about where you’d like to live, and when you want to move in together. Although it’s a serious move, it doesn’t have to be a starch conversation. Guide it in a more fun direction by discussing future home styles, locations, and decorating. Imagine the perfect house together and set a timeline of when it’d work best to make it official.

Before you take the big leap of moving in together, you need to talk about bills, bills, bills. Who is making the bills, and who is spending them? Although it’s definitely not the time to open a joint bank account, it is the appropriate moment to figure out how much each person is willing to spend each month compared to how much they make. Every pair is different, you can’t just assume costs will be split 50/50. The person you’re dating may be in a completely different financial situation than you, so you must understand their current state. By preparing yourself for the future, you’ll eliminate common moving stressors.

Once the checkbooks are sorted out, it’s time for move-in day! Although some couples wait until later in the timeline, this is the next big step in the dating progression for many. Moving in can be a big stress for some couples, so take away the pain by setting up expectations from day one. It may make it seem like you’re college roommates, but it helps prevent future arguments.

This is the point in the timeline you've been dreaming about. You love living together and want to do it for the rest of your life. Well, now you get to! Suddenly those butterflies you felt on the first date come rushing back as you picture yourself with this person forever. Chances are, getting engaged is something you’ve looked forward to for a long time. The time between dating and engagement varies greatly from one couple to another, so be patient, as this step often takes time.

Now is time to start a different timeline, the timeline to “I do.” After the high of the engagement wears off you’ll actually have to plan the nuptials. There’s no set guide, so wedding planning can be a tense time for a couple, so take a deep breathe and try to enjoy the process. In just a few short months you’ll no longer be dating, you’ll be married, so get excited!

The dating phase is over! Well, you will still go on dates once you’re married, but you’re officially done with first dates. Time to pop open the bubbly and celebrate!

By this point, you’ve nearly perfected the dating timeline. Couples are like fingerprints, no two are the same. Each pairing has their own distinct style. However, the progression of a relationship holds true no matter the duo. The average couple naturally goes through each step mentioned. No one ever said dating was easy, but by using this timeline you can have more confidence in understanding where you’re at and where you’re headed in the relationship.