Too young for marriage...

Isn't it time you got married...?

My husband and I were listening to Jack deliver the church announcements about 3 years ago. After welcoming first time visitors and mentioning the church roster, he proceeded to tell us about a seminar regarding couples taking the next step to marriage. He then started looking around the room and began to invite unmarried couples to attend the seminar. He then looked in our direction and said "Jelvie, Steve, isn't it time you got married...?"
Of course, most of the congregation laughed and my friends shouted "They're married!"

Do you have any children...?

Despite all the negativity surrounding people who get married young, I am happy with my decision. I was 21 when I married my husband and he was 25 which I believe is pretty young for a guy but we went through with it. It's not all perfect but no marriage is, it takes a lot of work, commitment and dedication but the rewards are worth it.
One of the common questions I get from people when I introduced Stephen as my husband when we were newlyweds, is "Do you have any children?"
A lady asked me this question because she thought we got married due to an unplanned pregnancy and was shocked when I told her that we didn't have any children yet. Even if we did have a child, it's never a nice thing to assume that it is a loveless marriage due to circumstance. Many people I know did marry earlier than planned because they were expecting a child but they are also very much in love.


But you haven't experienced enough...

I never planned on getting married at 21. I didn't want to go out with the boys in highschool and I never really spent much time looking for a boyfriend. Especially since Dad had the rule "No boyfriends until you give me your certificate for a Bachelor's degree". So my teenage years were spent studying, being with my family, going to parties and going straight home. I never felt like I was missing out. Plus, I've always wanted to have one boyfriend who I would eventually marry.
I met my husband through friends, they met him and introduced him to me. We were friends for about a year before our relationship was established. He had previous girlfriends and I wanted to make sure his intentions were right before I went any further. So about 2 months into our relationship we discussed the issue of marriage. He made it clear he wanted to marry me and we got engaged that same year and got married after I had graduated with my Bachelor's degree.
Some people I know asked why I rushed getting married, why not see if someone better comes along...
Or they say, but you haven't seen the world...
What about your career...

Why rush it...In my opinion, sometimes you just know if a person is right for you and if you keep thinking that someone better might come along then you'd spend all your life waiting even though the right person is right there in front of you. I had a list of qualities I wanted in a husband. How did I know what I wanted when I was 21? Does it really matter? There are women who are 41 who still don't know what they want. How many men should I go through before I can safely say, "Yes, he is the one!"

You haven't seen the world...Sure, at 21 I haven't seen the world, but at 24, my husband and I traveled on a little around-the-world trip and I got to see the world together with him.

What about your career...? My career is still going, it's great to have someone who is supportive, is as ambitious and has the same work ethics as me. Marriage doesn't always mean you no longer have a right to a career...it's your choice...there was no such ultimatum for me.

So, marriage at 21 is not that bad! I am 28 now and have 2 children, a family home with a little mortgage and a supportive husband who sometimes gets on my nerves but all in all, I don't regret it one bit.

There are no guarantees in life and a lot of marriages fail whether people chose to get married when they were younger or older. Don't worry, I am not as naive as I may sound. However, all you can do is make a choice for yourself, learn from your mistakes and give it your best.

What do you think? Is there a perfect age for marriage? Do you have a list of things you'd like to accomplish before you get married? Or if you are married, what would you have done differently?