"For many people, regardless of sexual orientation, a wedding is no longer the first step into adulthood that it once was, but, often, the last. It is a celebration of all that two people have already done, unlike a traditional wedding, which was a celebration of what a couple would do in the future.
Consistent with this shift in meaning, different-sex couples, like the many of the same-sex couples who have married recently, are starting their marriages later in their lives. According to the Census Bureau, the median age at first marriage—the age at which half of all marriages occur—was 27.4 for women and 29.5 for men in 2017. That’s higher than at any time since the Census began keeping records in 1890."
21 and 21 -- two lonely nerds who met in Calculus class - both far far away from home ... decided to get married when we realized we were probably never going to find "anything better" - calculating, but ... She carried us for the first 10 years, we had 20 "salad years" -- then she invoked the "in sickness and health clause" and passed after 20yr of grief. What would I change? -- don't honestly know - good times/bad times -
I was 24. I didn't have the inner security, maturation, experience needed to make it a good one.
I was a teen bride-married two weeks before my 20th birthday.
@VictoriaNotes, wow, so young (for you both)! I don't know if this is one of the "social stigmas" but my BFF's mother told me that I'd best get married before 30 or people would think I was a lesbian. I made it under the wire by three months.
Seventeen -
My wife turned sixteen, fifteen days after our first child's birth. I was also in the Army by that time.
22 fresh out of the war 1974 second marriage for both of us 1993 blending families all 4 of my relationships were 8 years each @ 66 my love should last 5 decades but being single 1981 1991 2002 and 2013 was painful longing for shared living with tender joy
I was 28 and we made it 15 years. It was really good until it wasn't.
32, I would not have gotten married then, Were it not too relieve a third parties mind rather than Hers. Foolish choice. Once was more than enough.
25 yrs old In 1995. My wife was 24. Married only once, 22 yrs. I think the trend toward marrying later is smart. It may also be a consequence of harder financial times, student debt and caution based on learning more about the legal consequences if that marriage should fail.
I was 30. Thought if I waited it would last forever.