please dont have kids yet - do you have insurance? Do not make a baby, do not make a baby do not make a baby
Ditto, ditto, ditto. Are you sure you're in love with all your heart, mind, body and soul?
If so, go ahead and get married and live with just THOSE consequences, not consequences with kids. What is the rush too if you're living together? Are you saving yourselves? Are you Mormon or something? These days everyone calls themselves a xchun...
WARNING!
If she dumped the guy for you when she was engaged to him, she can do that again, easily.
RED FLAG!
My friend married a guy who was in a long term relationship for 4 years and he just dumps that girl for my friend. I knew it was doomed from the beginning. Sher nuff, 2 kids later, he leaves her for ANOTHER woman. Make sure she's in love with YOU and not just the idea of marriage as something cute and cozy with a princess party. Marriage is as serious as starting a business and you need about as much in pocket before you go in- at least enough for a hotdog stand. heh
Oh, and so you don't cheat on her in the future make sure of these things:
1) she can give you good head almost anytime you ask
2) she loves sex and will do it almost anytime you ask
3) if you like to go down on her, make sure she is okay with that or compromise some how
4) if you have fantasies you want to play out, make sure she knows about them before you marry
In short, make sure you're sexually compatible. I've heard every excuse a cheating man gives to cheat.
How to keep her from cheating? Don't be a lazy procrastinating caveman. Help out around the house, especially after kids which you won't have until you're at least 27. And make sure you make LOVE to her at least half the time vs. just using her to get off- that's when things start to go south for a women who might consider cheating someday.
Oh, there's more, but these are the highlights.
I can't tell you how to have a happy marriage lest I'm called out on my hyprocrisy, but I can tell how the road down to the crap house gets lubricated.
Good luck young man. Remember, your brain is not fully developed until about age 25...