what do YOU think?

[snuga]

I didn''t vote in the poll because I don''t think chronological age is the right factor for determining whether marriage is right for a couple. It''s all a matter of opinion/maturity/life experiences. Age does not factor in to those necesarily. Also, I completely agree with what goldengirl said, what happens if someone doesn''t go to college? Is it not okay for them to marry? or should they wait? There are a lot of circumstances that affect the decision to get married, and while age (for some people) is extremely important, for others it is the most irrelevant factor involved. Just my opinion.

 

[researcher]

Can you add a "depends on the individual" option? I agree with the other posters that it depends on so many different factors. My parents were engaged at 19 and 20, and they''re approaching their 35th wedding anniversary. My grandparents got engaged around the same age, and they just celebrated 64 years of marriage. But, I have a friend who got married at 38 (for the first time) and just wasn''t ready; she got divorced less than a year later. For me, I wanted to finish up with school before I married. It wasn''t a hardfast rule, but I really didn''t have the proper time to dedicate to a relationship until then. So, I got married at 28 (after finishing my Ph.D.) and it just feels like it''s the right time for me. I wouldn''t have been a good spouse in previous years, whereas my life is now dedicated to my hubby and our life together.

 

[jasper]

16 is probably too young.

I know several women who met the loves of their lives at 17,
and are now happily engaged or married.
One of them got engaged at 17 and married at 18.
These women were quite selective, and chose wisely.

Of course, the age depends on the people involved.
Other people might not learn the skills they need
to have a successful marriage until later on.
John Molloy suggests that being out of school or the military
for three years is associated with the change of perspective
that leads to marriage. (It worked that way for me.)

-- Jasper
www.folds.net