So, this is when you should say ‘I love you’ for the first time

First comes love, second comes marriage, third comes… you get the drift.

But what about all the stuff that comes before love? The butterflies, the awkward dates, the 'so, what are we?' discussion.

There's a whole relationship to be had before those three little words become part of the equation and saying them for the first time is a major milestone.

So, how do you know the right time to say 'I love you'?

Well, one woman recently posed the dilemma in an online forum saying: “I think my new boyfriend wants to say it but doesn’t want me to not say it back, so he seems to be saying it in a jokey way or a roundabout way recently.”

She went on to say that she and her boyfriend had been “official” for two months and they have been dating for around four or five in total.

The woman then asked others to share their experiences in an effort to get a greater understanding of her own situation.

While most people agreed you couldn't possibly fall in love with someone right off the bat, some women revealed they had done just that.

One woman told her boyfriend she loved him after “about a week or two”, and are still together 11 years later.

Another confessed her feelings after just three weeks and revealed that she and her partner have now been together for five years and are due to get married this Autumn.

She added, “There’s no magic date because each couple is unique and special and will do it at different times. Enjoy the moment when it happens.”

According to The Independent, this advice is also echoed by psychologists, with Dr Aaron Ben-Zeév explaining that there is no precise formula for the right time to say 'I love you', but rather you should say it whenever you feel it.

So, if you've been waiting for the right time to confess your feelings, we're sorry to inform you that there is none.

Do it now. Don't be afraid!