Most often, young people in love live in doubt over whether or not they are too young to get married. In addition to laws that govern age at marriage by state, young people (particularly in today's increasingly individualistic society) are taking advantage of their youths to "live life to the fullest" before they settle down and are financially able to get married and have their own children. But, while older people might advise young couples to wait until marriage, we often neglect to discuss what might come forth as a result of the opposite situation. More often than not, young people delay marriage so that they can focus on their careers, travel, save money, and generally attempt to "enjoy" life as single people learning to be autonomous. But, after the career goals are achieved, after last-minute weekend getaways begin to bore you, and after you have already grown comfortable with the notion of staying in on a Saturday night, have all of the opportunities past you by?
Undoubtedly, many individuals who have chosen to delay marriage - no matter how satisfied with their lives they are - wonder whether or not they passed on "good opportunities" in their pasts. After they have achieved all of their goals, they begin to worry over finding a partner, establishing a good foundation for a marriage, and then beginning a family. But, the more that the youth pushes back the time frame on marriage, the more people are beginning to ask themselves: how old is too old to get married?
If a woman has chosen to pursue a career, has found a compatible partner at the age of forty-seven, and has made the decision to get married for the first time in her life, is it still appropriate for her to wear white to her wedding? If blushing brides are supposed to be youthful and carefree and at their most fertile, then what are the rules for middle-aged brides?
Fortunately, it appears that our society is so fascinated with youth and romance that we have restructured the "norm" of marriage. Today, high powered and equal partners (whether same sex or opposite sex) can cut across time zones, oceans, and thousands of miles as each partner pursues is or her individual personal and professional goals while still keeping in contact with one another. Men and women can now thrive in the same work environment and, as a result, more and more people are choosing to delay marriage. The more people delay marriage, the more people will be in your age demographic and not married! So, at the very least, things won't be so lonely for you, and you certainly won't have to ask yourself if you are too old to get married when all of your friends, family members, work associates and acquaintances are the same age when they first walk down the aisle.
The bottom line is that there is no set number of guidelines or instructions that have been passed forth to human beings throughout millennia. People will marry one another when they are in love, when they want to express their love for one another in traditional (and frequently legal) terms, and when they decide that it is an appropriate decision that is suitable for them. Getting married is a personal choice that every individual must make, and when one does finally make that decision, age is certainly going to be the last issue on a person's mind. Whether you are a bride for the first time at sixteen or at sixty, you are still likely to look like the most beautiful version of yourself ever possible, if you are truly in love and happy with your choice.