Personally, I don’t think cohabitation should be encouraged EVER, including between married people. I think that people shouldn’t be mixing up legal, property, and business agreements with “love” and “sex”.
Sure, sometimes the people you have warm fuzzies for are also compatible for certain business deals, but people keep making those decisions while their brains are on some pretty serious drugs (hormones) making them literally and physically incapable of making good, rational business decisions.
If married people not living together were normalized, I think a lot of otherwise workable marriages might last longer simply because 2 people who love each other just aren’t compatible housemates but otherwise work together just fine. I’d like to see more people accept that living apart is a reasonable choice for two people in love to make together.
That being said, if you’re going to enter into a legal contract, especially one that you haven’t written out an exit plan (i.e. a prenup) and that you believe is “for life”, then yes, test drive that shit before you sign your life away. See how compatible you are before you jump in the deep end of a pool you’re not allowed to get out of.
Live together for a year WITH AN EXIT PLAN IN PLACE, and then at the end of the year, make another decision – decide that you are not compatible and break up, decide that you are not compatible housemates and live apart but keep dating, keep living together, or sign up for a lifetime contract.
Your relationship should have options. It could work out, if people just knew that they had options, and if they tested compatibility first before signing things that the government can enforce, while on happy brain drugs.