7 Advantages of Marrying Young
By Jimmy Sliwa
I was fresh out of college with a negative net worth when my wife agreed to marry me.
For the next three years, she supported me while I slogged through grad school. By most standards, I wasn’t financially stable enough for marriage. And yet, Anna chose to support me through my education while we laid the foundation of our future together.
Now, 11 years later with three kids to boot, we have settled into a comfortable life.
In hindsight, I wouldn’t change a thing. All the challenges we faced, like tight finances and miscarriages, have become the very things that have galvanized our marriage.
Instead of growing into adulthood separately and then trying to merge our lives – we grew up together.
Those early struggles matured us fast and have deepened our bond, all before we hit middle age.
While conventional wisdom says wait until you’re older and more established before getting married, there are unique advantages that come only to those that marry young.
Marriage is one of life’s great decisions and should be taken with careful consideration. But I have realized something.
Marriage is less about When you say “I do” and more about Who you choose to commit too.
If you’ve found the right person, there’s no reason to fear marrying young. The real danger isn’t early marriage—it’s marrying the wrong person altogether.
While everyone has an opinion on the “right” time to get married, the decision is ultimately yours to make.
The Argument to Delay Marriage
The average age of marriage in the U.S. is 30 for women and 32 for men. This is a big decline from 50 years ago when the average age was in the early 20s for both men and women. This is a reflection of changing societal norms.
Many people believe that waiting until later in life to get married is the best approach.
- The most cited reasons: financial stability and career establishment.
The idea is that by waiting, you’ll be more mature and better prepared for lifelong commitment.
While these points have merit, they don’t tell the full story.
What’s often overlooked is that growing together in marriage can be just as valuable as growing separately before tying the knot. Both come with pros and cons.
Marriage isn’t about waiting until you’re “perfect” and have everything figured out. It’s about committing to building a life together and choosing that person despite the challenges that are sure to lie ahead.
Marriage Trepidations
It’s natural and wise to have healthy fears about marriage, especially at a young age.
Questions like, “What if I change?” or “What if we grow apart?” can be daunting. But the reality is that personal growth and change are inevitable, whether you’re single or married.
In fact, 5 years from now your wife won’t be the same person that you married—and that’s a good thing! Growth and change are signs of a thriving relationship.
My Wife Isn’t the Same Girl I Married – The Husband’s Club
What truly matters is choosing a partner you’re willing to grow alongside.
Many young people also worry about financial struggles, career limitations, or losing personal freedom in marriage. But the truth is, a strong, supportive marriage can actually make these challenges easier to navigate. A great marriage amplifies your strengths and helps you tackle life’s obstacles as a team.
7 Advantages Of Marrying Young
1. Marriage Matures You Fast
Marriage is a fast track to maturity. When you commit your life to another person you realize how selfish you were when you were single.
Marriage requires responsibility, and lifelong commitment—traits that naturally accelerate maturity. When you marry young, you learn valuable life skills like conflict resolution, compromise, and emotional intelligence earlier than many of your peers. Rather than spending years figuring life out alone, you grow into adulthood with a teammate, which fosters maturity at a rapid pace.
2. Potential for More Kids
If having children is part of your life plan, marrying young gives you more flexibility and time. You don’t have to rush into parenthood, but you also don’t have to worry about biological clocks or external pressures. Plus, starting a family earlier allows you to enjoy more active years with your kids and even see multiple generations grow.
3. Less Baggage
The longer you wait to marry, the more past relationships, emotional wounds, and ingrained habits you bring into the marriage. Marrying young often means entering the relationship with fewer heartbreaks, trust issues, or unhealthy patterns. You get to build your marriage without carrying as much past emotional weight.
4. More and Better Sex
Contrary to popular belief, studies show that married couples tend to have more frequent and satisfying sex than singles. Marrying young allows you to explore intimacy with one committed partner, developing a deep emotional and physical connection over time. The trust and security of marriage often lead to a more fulfilling sex life compared to the unpredictability of casual relationships.
5. Increased Earning Potential
While some worry about financial struggles in young marriages, starting life together early actually fosters better financial habits. You learn to budget, save, and invest as a team, which can lead to greater financial stability in the long run. Instead of merging two fully developed financial lives later on, you grow your wealth together from the beginning.
6. Built in Support System
Marriage means you always have someone in your corner. Life is unpredictable, and having a committed partner early on provides emotional and practical support through career transitions, personal struggles, and unexpected hardships. A young marriage creates a foundation of deep companionship that only strengthens over time.
7. Tackle More Obstacles Together
Every marriage faces challenges, but when you marry young, you learn to navigate life’s ups and downs as a unit from the start. Whether it’s financial hurdles, career decisions, or personal growth, facing obstacles together builds resilience, trust, and a shared sense of achievement. Over time, these challenges only strengthen your bond rather than weaken it.
