[happyjack]

started dating on her 22nd birthday (and I was also 22) and we ended up married before i turned 23...about 10 months after we started dating.

been married over 26 years, and while it's had ups and downs (far-and-away mostly ups), i wouldnt change a thing.

that said, the world is very different now 26 years later. unless you are both settled into financially secure careers, then i would strongly recommend that you wait. financial pressures compounded by the likely introduction of kids is what kills most marriages.

my wife and i waited 8 years to have kids. we traveled and partied and were 100% confident that we were ready for a family. marriage is likely the easy decision...but as others have said: once you introduce kids to the mix, then you're at a whole 'nother level.

in this day and age: late-20s is probably the right time to really start considering marriage -- again, assuming you're both comfortable where you are financially / career-wise. seriously take this advice: IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY to start talking about money and financial goals. they will evolve over time, but if one of you has champagne tastes and you're on a natty light budget then you will NOT be happy.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by Our03z4

If you haven't already and believe she's the one, put a ring on it at least. If you think you will be ready in 1 1/2 years you better get busy. Takes a long time to plan and reserve everything, a year cuts it very close. I got married at 20, she was 18, and we both say we wouldn't have changed a thing. Going on 11 years married here, we dated for about 1 1/2 years and knew each other for a while before that. We also were very mature for our age so that didn't cause anyone to say we were too young. Good luck and please update!

I disagree with the thought that everything has to take a long time. We got engaged in February and Married in July of the same year.

[UncleWede]

My mother passed away in February. Dad was married in July of that year. They met online

[sspade]

Almost 10 years before we got married... then 2 years in, we got divorced

Thankfully no children involved.

My current relationship is on 2 years and we are headed in that direction. Hesitant to repeat past mistakes!

[GoneIn4Secs]

Yea but a thread like this you gotts keep in mind society and lifestyle/cost of living was ALOT different in the 79s, 80s and 90s, even to the mid 00s

Nowawdays its like the twilight zone out there, so just be glad you OP you are lucky enough to have found someone who wants to be with you

[Alfisti]

All you uncultured fuckers, how does a wedding cost you a penny? You don't get a booster from the family or ya give toasters as wedding presents?

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

All you uncultured fuckers, how does a wedding cost you a penny? You don't get a booster from the family or ya give toasters as wedding presents?

Seeing as we are financially better off then both my and her parents, along with them already working past retirement age so they can maybe be comfortable in retirement.... we decided to pay for everything ourselves.

I don't think parents paying is common like it used to be. The generation that are currently parents are much too selfish for that.

[AnOldBiker]

I've been married twice and paid for both.
If we can't pay for our family from the beginning, we shouldn't get married.
Our parents were only there to celebrate the moment of happiness with us, not financial support us.

They are 'our parents', not our bankers.

[UncleWede]

I covered my oldest's wedding, ~$550. Told the extremely competitive middle son "Fair is fair, here is your wedding allocation" He was pissed

Then we went to Oregon for his wedding, and the day of he "forgot" his checkbook and couldn't give the caterer her deposit. As I'm "going thru the details of getting my credit card company to approve the remote payment" , his best man found his check book

[Germanauto]

ERROR 404: SO not found.

One of my buddies foolishly married some girl he had known for 8 months. He was 23 and knew nothing about the world. She tore him apart from friends and family and his dumb ass kept obliging. I was the only friend of his she didn't make him separate from. Every time I saw her she was in a bad mood and complaining. Dropped out of school when they got engaged, kept making up excuses not to work, etc. My friend finally wised up after 13 months and filed for Divorce.

We are grad students so he got out basically unscathed financially. He's 25, good looking, going to be making major bucks soon, will do just fine. But it's difficult to fully respect such a guy, he thought our crew would come back and it never happened. When you choose some manipulative broad over your friends don't expect your friendships to return to what they were.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Seeing as we are financially better off then both my and her parents, along with them already working past retirement age so they can maybe be comfortable in retirement.... we decided to pay for everything ourselves.

I don't think parents paying is common like it used to be. The generation that are currently parents are much too selfish for that.

Nah, nah a booster, not parents. Guests give $150 per head, covers all your costs.

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Nah, nah a booster, not parents. Guests give $150 per head, covers all your costs.

$150 per head????

I might have given that to my brother when he got married, but that's about it!

So, let me get this straight, because I know you are an Aussie (transplanted, but whatever).

In Australia, if you don't want to die, you have to avoid every animal.
Also in Australia, if you don't want to wind up in the poor house, you have to avoid all weddings.

Fun place that Australia. If you like having your head on a swivel.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Nah, nah a booster, not parents. Guests give $150 per head, covers all your costs.

Yeah, asking guests to pay to attend your wedding would be view as scummy as hell around here. Generally you are inviting your guests to help you celebrate your marriage. Hell, I even had an open bar the entire night for mine and paid for cab service back to the hotel block we had. We only asked people to tip the driver is all.

[Turkish Pickle]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

ERROR 404: SO not found.

One of my buddies foolishly married some girl he had known for 8 months. He was 23 and knew nothing about the world. She tore him apart from friends and family and his dumb ass kept obliging. I was the only friend of his she didn't make him separate from. Every time I saw her she was in a bad mood and complaining. Dropped out of school when they got engaged, kept making up excuses not to work, etc. My friend finally wised up after 13 months and filed for Divorce.

We are grad students so he got out basically unscathed financially. He's 25, good looking, going to be making major bucks soon, will do just fine. But it's difficult to fully respect such a guy, he thought our crew would come back and it never happened. When you choose some manipulative broad over your friends don't expect your friendships to return to what they were.

oh boy do i have a story about this one...

bros before hoes should never be forgot over the "power" of pussy!!!!!

[eluded]

You are too young and you will shoot your eye out

[AntF32]

Dated for 10 years before we decided to get married. The only reason we got married was to justify a four week holiday to Hawaii

[Joe240]

Originally Posted by AntF32

Dated for 10 years before we decided to get married. The only reason we got married was to justify a four week holiday to Huawei

Didn’t know you could take a 4 week vacation to a Chinese electronics firm

[AntF32]

Originally Posted by Joe240

Didn’t know you could take a 4 week vacation to a Chinese electronics firm

LOL - I work at Huawei (5G Rollout) and mashed the keyboard incorrectly

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by AntF32

LOL - I work at Huawei (5G Rollout) and mashed the keyboard incorrectly

So, I take it that you were on a working vacation?????

[DETRoadster]

Dated for 10 years. Been married for 10 years.

[upstatedoc]

what the hell

[NEfan508]

Never married, she's been my girlfriend since I was 12, I'm 36 now

She's my secretary/business partner and wife, we laugh, fight-argue and love each other daily

With 3 kids, investment properties and a contracting company we are always busy/stressed but wouldn't have it any other way

Politics/Church and most habits are night & day but it's fine

She drinks I don't, I smoke she doesn't, she's religious I'm not, she's conservative #merica I'm liberal tree hugger'ish I love old classic hotels she thinks they are haunted (example St. Regis NYC)