I am engaged to my partner, and we haven't been together all that long. But we've been together long enough for me to know that I'm making the right decision, because she supports me, she listens to me, I can talk to her, we have shared values and beliefs, we want similar things out of life, and we share in some of the same struggles (not essential, but helpful). I enjoy spending time with her, but I can be apart from her and not feel anxious anymore like I did in the beginning. I don't feel like she's my whole world, but I can't imagine my life without her. I look at her and think how lucky I am that we're together. She appreciates me for who and what I am, and lets me know, not just in words but in actions. And even though there are things that we DON'T see eye to eye on, it's not the end of the world, and I don't love her any less for it. And we talk about it in a way that's not damaging, abusive or offensive.
I've never been married before, so I can't say what it's going to be like. I've been single before, though, and that was just fine. To me it's not about a status, or anything like that. I proposed to my partner because I recognized in her someone who could actually partner me, someone strong enough, someone enough of her own person and also someone who made sensible choices. We both have issues in our lives that could change everything at the drop of a hat, and we recognize the fleeting nature of life. She has a whole bunch of physical health issues that don't exactly guarantee a long and healthy life. But knowing that, knowing that one day I could prematurely be sitting at her death bed, or suddenly get a call that she's gone, doesn't change the fact that I want to experience life with her in it. I think partnership can be amazing. It can also kill people (violence, abuse, depression).
In my opinion, there is no right or wrong. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to get married, even though there are a lot of naysayers in that department these days. I once asked a woman who was just about to celebrate her 50 year wedding anniversary with her husband, how have they been able to stay together - and love each other - for so long? (My own parents separated after 30 years of marriage, and a few years being together prior to that.) Her answer was this: Not throwing it away when there's a conflict. Basically, marriages are work. That's not an excuse to stick around when someone is abusing you, or anything like that. But I know that, for me, if my partner cheated, or something like that, even though that's always been my worst fear in a relationship, my outlook has changed. Now that I have someone in my life that I know loves me unconditionally, I feel the same way. We're not perfect. But if I found out she cheated, for example, I would be willing to stick it out and try to make it work. Because if I'm only loving her because of what I want from her, and what I expect her to do for me, and because I have a bunch of rules I need her to follow in order for me to feel safe, then is it really love?
(disclaimer: not saying there's anything wrong with relationship agreements, or people having solid boundaries around faithfulness or lack thereof, etc. This is just where I'm at.)

In the end...just make sure you're doing it for the right reasons (because it is improving the quality of your life, because it is supporting you, because you are growing and learning, whatever those reasons look like to you) and that you don't settle for something that is unsustainable or a person who cannot, by their very nature, give you what you need. Because relationships are two ways, and when entering into a relationship, it is ludicrous to expect that we are to make no effort whatsoever to add value and meaning to the relationship, regardless of the nature of it. Just make sure that it's something that you're not doing out of desperation, or 'not wanting to be alone', or anything like that. And don't take on a 'fixer-upper' (someone who would 'only be perfect if...'). And recognize that life is life, and we can only live it one day at a time, and despite all of our best-laid plans, life might have another plan for us entirely. If you would've told me five years ago I'd be getting married...

Just my two cents. Good luck with everything. It is my belief that each and every one of us deserves to be happy, whatever that looks like (as long as it's not harming someone else, of course).