How long did it take to love your partner?

[TokenGinger]

Just that, really...

How many weeks, months, years? What's "normal"?

Really corny, I know.

We both fell in love within hours of meeting. Our eyes met across the ballroom, something funny happened and we both found it amusing and when we eventually spoke to each other it was electric, I felt a shock.
During the night we were working together, he told his mates he could do worse than marry me I knew he was the one I would spend my life with.
Married nearly 23 years, together for 27

I know this sounds pathetic.

Within three hours. And we've been together ever since.

Ginger thank you . I have to admit, I never expected to feel this way about a husband. I always thought I would 'just know' within days/weeks, but it hasn't been like that at all. In some ways, it helps that we've never been besotted with each other, as that feeling almost always fades and some couples struggle with what replaces it. But our love has grown from not much at all to something really solid. Ten years later, we're still loving and affectionate with each other.

Having said that, I am a little envious of potatoprints and sallying stories .

I hope it works out with you and your man. DH hardly ever tells me he loves me, but I know he does from the way he behaves towards me.

Ms

There are times we both could have throttled each other, testing times that life throws at you, when it comes down to it we know we are much happier together than apart.
We are a bit different as well as we spend most of our time together.
i suppose we have to get on
he is working tonight and I won't go to bed until he comes home.
I can do, I just don't

Such a cliche, but as soon as I saw him. I was (and still am years later) absolutely, hopelessly in love with him.

It took us 9 days to say it out loud. We were both wanting to say it from the first day. We have been together 20 years, married for 17.
Still wild about each other.

I don't think it is like that for most people, and we have taught our children (18 and 16) not to mix up infatuation with love.
There is nothing wrong with infatuation, it makes for great sex and intimacy. It isn't a patch on hell-or-high-water love. That stuff takes years to build.

Instant lust, then love when I saw him defend my friend about a week later. Ahhhh

I'm kind of with your DH on this one. DH told me that he loved me within weeks of meeting me, and I remember feeling that it was premature to call it "love" at that stage - to me, it felt more like infatuation!

I tend to feel that love is something that builds up slowly, over a much longer period of time. And for me, it isn't really about wanting to be with him all the time, or missing him when he isn't there. It's more about the positive regard that I have for him and the interest/concern that I have for his wellbeing/happiness. I don't know, I can't really explain, but I think it's more about him than me iyswim.

If it's any comfort to you, OP, I don't think I felt ready to say that I loved him until we'd been together for well over a year, but that was no reflection on how I felt about him, or on my commitment to the relationship - it just wasn't a phrase that I used lightly. It will be 20 years this summer since we first met, and I definitely love him now. :)