Once upon a time, people were expected to nab a spouse by their early to mid-20s. But things have changed. Now, the average age of couples getting married are now closer to the 30-year-old mark. The average age of a bride getting married in Australia in 2016 was 28, according to the annual Easy Weddings survey results.
People are doing everything later in life: buying their first homes, having children, and getting married. But there are still couples out there who have been blessed to meet the love of their lives at a young age and are getting married in their early 20s or even younger.
Your partner may be your high school sweetheart, or someone you’ve had an instant connection with. Emotional maturity has nothing to do with your physical age, and if you are considering getting married young, there are some simple things you can identify in yourself to see if you’re ready to make the lifetime commitment.
You are ready to farewell single life
If the thrill of the chase, meeting new people and getting to know them in a romantic sense no longer appeals to you, and you are ready to say goodbye to all of this, then you are in the right frame of mind to commit to marriage. Similarly, be sure you’re not hung up on any exes and there aren’t any ‘what if’ scenarios playing out in your mind. If you have any niggling doubts, perhaps it’s best to wait as marriage is a major step and should be taken seriously.
You know who you are
There are some people who reach their 50s who still cannot define who they are, but it is important to reflect on what makes you who you are. If the answer is the person you are going to marry – you will need more time. It is not your partner’s role to complete you or become the source of your spirit. You need to be your own person who can survive on their own and have the capacity to give and receive love. When you and your partner are in this position, you will have a strong foundation on which to grow together.
You have conflict management skills
Marriage is a wonderful thing, but it’s not always smooth sailing. Before you enter into this next phase of your relationship, think about whether you can openly communicate with your partner. Can you also compromise on an even playing field so that one party is not the one coming out on top each time?
You share core values
It’s true that opposites often do attract, but it’s important that you have talked about and agree on essential components for your future life. Things like how soon you will get married, whether you plan to have children if you want to travel together and have some adventures or settle down right away. Money can also be a source of arguments for married couples, so talk about whether you will maintain separate accounts or pool funds and work together – the answer is different for every couple.
You are content
A genuine sign that you are ready for marriage is that you are happy in your relationship and the person you are with is genuinely your friend and not just your lover. Every relationship starts with infatuation and then the small challenges start to creep in. If you have overcome both and still think the world of each other, you have created a great connection and can look at moving on to marriage.
