What Age Should You Get Married?

The society puts a lot of standards on us. Every day we feel that life passes by and we start asking ourselves the questions like, "What age do most people get married? Am I late with arranging my personal life?" For you not to think you are the only one who does not know what to do with their current situation and how to act in it, we have conducted information about the legal age to marry in different countries of Europe and the world. In addition, we will shed light on what’s a good age to get married in general and what aspects should you consider while tying the knot with the person you love.

Average Age to Get Married in the Western World

In most countries, parental consent is required for young people who are under the legal age to get married. In European states, there is either the same marriage age for both sexes or the marriage age for men is slightly higher. For example, in Hungary, the marriage age is set at 18 years for men and at 16 for women, in Poland, it is at 18 years for men and at 16 for women. In England, people may marry when they reach the age of 16. In France, women can get married when they are 15 years old and men can do the same if they are 18 years old.

Scotland: 16 years old

In almost all European countries, you can get married on your own from the age of 18. But there are exceptions, for example, Scotland, which for centuries has been considered a paradise for lovers. As for now, Scottish are allowed to marry from the age of 16 without parental consent, while in the 18th and 19th centuries, parents in England could forbid their children to marry before the age of majority, which then began at 21. So, young people from all over the island fled to Scotland. Until 1940, there was a provision in which it was enough for the witnesses to declare their desire to become spouses, and the marriage was considered valid, even if the spouses then came back to England.

It is no coincidence that the tiny village of Gretna Green, the nearest to the English border, has gained romantic fame. Young people were eagerly coming here: some by land, some by sea, some openly, and some secretly. Often, they were pursued by enraged relatives. There was also an interesting tradition in Gretna Green: the ceremony of marriage was conducted by a blacksmith, who spoke for the priest and the witness.

Average age to get married in the US: 15–21 years old

In the US, the marriage age is different and is determined by the laws of each state. In most cases, it is 18 years old for both men and women, and with parental consent, it is 16. But there are exceptions. For example, in Georgia, young people can get married at 15 with parental consent, if they are expecting a child, they can get married, being 16 years old and without parental consent. In the state of New Hampshire, with the consent of the parents, girls can marry at the age of 13, and young men at 14. In Massachusetts, the highest age of marriage is up to 21 years old.

Legal Age to Get Married in Different Countries

It is very fragmentary when we talk about the information on the family structure of the peoples who inhabited the territory of Russia before the adoption of Christianity. Various sources indicate multiple ways of entering into marriage. Among them, the most ancient was the abduction of the bride by the bridegroom without her consent, however, later that tradition grew into a regular agreement of both sides. In 1926, the marriage age was set by law, and it stays the same for both sexes to this day, it is 18 years.

What age can you get married in Ukraine? Young men can do that at the age of 18, and girls can do that at the age of 17. However, there is an exception: under special circumstances, a marriage can take place at an earlier age. Usually, such a "circumstance" is an early pregnancy. And the average age to get married stays higher being approximately 23 years old.

China: 20 and 22

China has the highest marital age in the world: 20 years for women and 22 years for men. It is believed that by this age people can become quite independent both emotionally and financially and make a conscious choice. Interestingly enough, in medieval China, there was a completely opposite situation. Then, according to the law, 20 years was the age limit at which a girl could marry. Men could marry up to 30. Such were the views of Confucius about the marriage age. It was normal for a girl to become a bride at the age of 13, while her spouse could be twice as old as her. The law was monitored by a special official: they compiled lists of 30-year-old men and 20-year-old women in their region and made sure that they formed couples between themselves and got married. If young people still did not tie the knot, they should have understood that now they have to remain a bachelor for their whole lives.

India: 18 and 21 years

Now Indian girls can officially enter into marriage at the age of 18, and young people can do that at the age of 21. But it was not always so. Since ancient times, the tradition of child marriage has flourished in India. The 1921 census revealed more than 600 girls under the age of one who were already married. Mahatma Gandhi, the spiritual leader and chief ideologue of the national liberation movement in India, was concerned about children's weddings. On his instructions, the Sardis Act was developed, preventing early marriages. Ironically, it was prepared by the famous lawyer Harbilas Sard, who had been married at 9 years. By the way, Mahatma Gandhi got married at 13 years old.

However, many Indians still do not follow the law. The 2001 census showed that 3 million Indian women became mothers before they turned 15. Child marriages can be entered into during mass marriages that regularly take place in Indian settlements. One explanation of the tradition of early marriage is that in the 11th-century Muslim conquerors came to India. They considered unmarried Indus girls an easy catch. Fearing for the fate of their daughters, their parents began marrying them in infancy. Then the conquerors left, and the tradition remained. Now there is an economic explanation. Child marriage is actively practiced by the lower social strata. By marrying daughters at an early age, parents reduce the costs of their maintenance since the husband’s family is in charge of the young wife from that moment. And the family, on the other hand, gets a free pair of hands to help with household duties.

Tunisia: 17 and 20

Girls in Tunisia can marry at the age of 17, and young people can do that at the age of 20. But today's young people prefer to start a family all later. For men, it is normal to marry after 35, and women usually get married at 25 or even 30 years. For a Muslim country, it is very late, considering that even less than a century ago, 14-year-old brides did not surprise anyone here. It’s just that the country is actively developing: women get an education, can have a rest abroad, without being accompanied by men, and they often dress in the European manner.

But the course on gender equality was not the only cause of rising of the age of marriage. One of the other reasons was the high cost of the festive ritual. The wedding is celebrated for seven days. Moreover, not only the newlyweds, but also their closest relatives, friends, and girlfriends should appear at the celebration in rich clothes, and the man, before entering into marriage, should be able to provide a young wife. In addition, a prison sentence is granted for both women and men if they are suspected of cheating. Therefore, local people try to approach the creation of a family extremely consciously.

Ecuador: 12 and 14

In Ecuador, marriage age is one of the lowest in the world: 12 years for girls and 14 for young men. Traditionally, it was believed that young people get mature enough to become parents at this age. But now the law does not encourage early marriage in Ecuador. The minimum age of marriage is set at 12 and 14 years, but if someone from a couple is less than 18, then the consent of their parents will be required. In fact, everything is simple: parents usually give their consent, and teenagers get married. Especially popular are the early marriages in the countryside.

What Is the Best Age to Get Married?

Perfect age to get married is, of course, a thing highly individual, and it depends only on what you feel and whether you are ready. However, there are some tendencies that follow marriage at different stages of your life and therefore, they can be divided into several types.

Early marriage. Of course, such an important issue as marriage should be approached carefully and thoroughly. After all, after the wedding, you plan to spend the rest of your life with your chosen one. So, society believes that such decisions should be made only by mature people. Therefore, the marriage of people aged 18–20, sometimes 23 years, is often perceived as something frivolous, and 20 years is not the best age to get married. According to statistics, it is early marriages that are most vulnerable and make the most divorces. But, on the other hand, at an early age, feelings and emotions are extremely strong. Love at this age is strong and able to sweep away all obstacles on the way to a loved one. And there are so many couples who have proven that they can live happily and safely all their lives together, starting with youthful years and to extreme old age. But nevertheless, if you are “impatient” to get married at the age of 18, we advise you to think it over carefully. Remember that early marriages tend to fall apart in the very first year, and that is why 18-20 years are still considered not the best age to marry.

Marriage "golden age." Age from about 23 to 26-28 years is considered almost the most suitable for marriage. It should be noted that girls grow up earlier than boys, but the difference in the physical and psychological development between the peers of both sexes almost disappears by the age of 25. What age should you get married? Definitely within this time period. For men, this is the time of the best physical form and endurance. By the age of 23-25, young people, as a rule, finish their studies and begin their professional careers. They have already decided what they want in lives and can independently provide for the families. Childish outburst gives way to an adult outlook on life.

Late marriage. At the age of about 30, a wedding is already a deliberate and a thoroughly thought over decision. Often at this age, people get married not for the first time, and they understand perfectly well what surprises the married life prepares for them.

Very late marriage. Some people prove that being even 60 or 70 years old is a good age to get married. And although at this age, love means more support and care for each other than passion or emotions, feeling of the newlyweds can be so strong that many youngsters could only wish for the same.

In the long run, you should get married when you feel that you are mature enough, and not as soon as you fall in love for the first time.