bIL and SIL married at 19 and 20 because she was pregnant. 28 years later they seem quite happy.

I also had friends who married during college who are still happily married 25 years later.

DH and I were 21 and 23 when we married. 49 years later there have been definite ups and downs, but we're still happily together.

We were 24 and 26. Very happy after 18 years. My good friends married even younger - a year after graduating from college. Also very happy at almost 20 years. Both were big church weddings.

Anonymous wrote:One thing I did notice through the years, every couple I knew that had a big church wedding divorced.

I come from a large Catholic family with zero divorces and everyone has a big church wedding...as well as a raucous funeral/wake later.

I find the exact opposite to be true, OP.

My friend married her HS sweetheart at 23---as did my neighbors. They are two of the happiest couples I know--besides my mom and dad that married at 22.

The unhappiest I know--woman got to early/mid-30s--wanted kids, settled, popped them out within 1 year of marriage. They settled and now 5 years in or so are on Facebook trying to hook up with an Ex or on Ashley Madison looking to bang somebody else's husband.

I know a couple who started dating in 5th grade who are still married and happy (now in their late 40s)!

But, many of the couples I know who had huge elaborate expensive weddings back in the late 80s/early 90s when they were in their early to mid-20s are now divorced or miserable. Others, who had more modest weddings are doing just fine, on the whole.

I married at 26, to a man I met when I was almost 18, in college. He is the main parent, cooks the majority of dinners, and was a partner in a law firm until he left and started his own firm. So I think he's plenty ambitious and helpful around the house.

Met early in college, married right after graduation. Happily married 10 years and 2 kids later.

Anonymous wrote:The happiest couples I know met in either Hs or college and were married by the time they were 21 or 22, even younger.
My "theory" is they grew up together, and had (and are still having) lots of great sex, with having had little to compare it to. Those of us with a sexual history before our spouses have more to feel nostalgic about that doesn't involve our spouse, sigh...

That's kind of how I feel. I am the pp who started dating her DH at 15, dated throughout high school and college, married at 21. We had our first baby when we were 22. Five kids and 28 years later I cannot imagine a life without him. We did grow up together. He is my everything.

The happiest couples I know met in either Hs or college and were married by the time they were 21 or 22, even younger.
My "theory" is they grew up together, and had (and are still having) lots of great sex, with having had little to compare it to. Those of us with a sexual history before our spouses have more to feel nostalgic about that doesn't involve our spouse, sigh...

We are! Married at 23.

I married at 23. At 34, a house and 2 kids later, I am content with my life and my marriage.

What a sweet thread! Especially right before Valentines day!

Sister and BIL married at 22, huge partiers and the last people you'd expect to marry young. Still having fun together 30 years later, having raised 3 very together kids.

I know lots of happy couples. I attended 3 weddings just after I took the bar of friends of mine who met their spouse in college. I have other good friends who got married even earlier like a year out of college. 4 kids later the are still really happy. I'm not sure I know any couples that married just out of high school. Another couple I know have been together since high school and got married when she graduated from college, he had already graduated. They have 3 kids and are still going strong.

Of course, you never know what goes on behind closed doors but in public these couples are nice to each other, seem to enjoy each other's company, travel together with and without the kids and there is no overt tension when we go out with them.