“I have not remarried because that one was enough for 10 lifetimes.”
The thread quickly filled with many stories of and perspectives on marriage at a young age.
From happily-ever-afters to short-lived unions, here’s what people shared:
1.
“Got married at 20.
We celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary next year.
We traveled, bought a home, and thoroughly enjoyed each other for seven years before having a child.
Dont get me wrong, thats totally great for some people.
But my nugget of advice for all newly engaged/married couples is to really enjoy your marriage first.
Just my two cents.”
u/california_peach0305
2.
“We’ve been best friends since high school.
We met when I was 14 and he was 16.
We dated when I was 18 and got married when I was 22.
One day we will get that vacation, baby.
u/EvolvedPrick
3.
“Got married at 18, one week after high school graduation.
Divorced at 21 after my third deployment when I learned she slept with my former stepdad.
Theyve been married for 15 years now.”
u/soulnumberfive
4.
“I’d turned 20 less than a week before, and he’d just turned 19.
We stayed married for five miserable years and had two kids before I asked for a divorce.
It truly was misery the entire time.
We’ve been divorced for over 10 years, and there’s an ocean between us.
We have a great sibling-like relationship now.”
u/twentythirtyone
5.
“Got married at 23.
Over 20 years later, the kids are grown and we’re still together and happy.
It’s not always easy.
u/marmot1101
6.
We just celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary and are expecting our first kiddo in a couple of months.
We started seeing each other when we were young, and we sort of shaped each other’s personality.
u/adjblair
7.
“Married at 22.
I was too immature to make such a decision.
u/chili555
8.
“Married at 25, now divorcing at 47. make a run at argue a little, too.
We never did.”
u/DrGoManGo
9.
“Married at 19, and still married to the same guy at 63.
For all of the ups and downs of our marriage, there is still great love there.
u/puppylove1212
10.
“Married 30 years.
u/froglover215
11.
“Married at 18, and been together 20-plus years.
We’re still happily married.
I love that man; he’s my rock.
He’s truly my best friend.
BUT when we got married, we just ‘settled down.’
We live in the same small town, and neither of us finished college.
We’ve worked a series of jobs (not a career, just jobs to pay the bills).
“We aren’t much different from who we were as broke teenagers.
Maybe it would have been different if we hadn’t had kids right away.
“Honestly, I think I got lucky in my choice of partner.
I was a depressed teen in a bad situation, and I hopped on the first lifeboat out.
We were just very, very lucky.”
u/USPS_Titanic
12.
“Got hitched at 21, and it lasted for four years.
As soon as the ink was dry on the marriage license, the real abuse began.
That ‘someone new’ is watching TV in the living room right now.
We’ll celebrate 24 years of marriage in May.
He’s a peach, and I’m a very lucky woman to have him.”
u/BustAMove_13
13.
“Married at 23 and divorced by 27.
He wanted to move back to his hometown.
I fought it kicking and screaming.
I was basically told to go or kick rocks.
I fell into a deep, dark depression from the lack of support from my husband and his family.
I went home and filed for divorce.
He had a new girl moved in before I could even file.
That was 10 years ago.
Took a lot of time for myself, then I finally met the man of my dreams.
We got married a year ago and have one child together.
My ex-husband is now in the sex offender registry.
No idea why.”
u/pink_camo77
14.
“We were in the same dorm and met on her first day of college.
We started dating officially like three days later.
We got married at 22 and 21.
Now, 14 years later, we have three kids, including newborn twins.
Life is as good as can be.”
u/Bmonroet
15.
“I’ve been with my wife since high school.
We can still sit around and laugh about anything and everything.
I buy her crocheting things and she gets me gaming stuff.
Weve won big and weve lost big together.”
“During COVID, we lost our house and all our things.
Our role switch was dope.
I kept the house together.
“We are nowhere near where we want to be.
More than anything, Im glad I didnt let depression win.
Shes been worth every bit of this life, and thankfully, Ive been able to reciprocate.”
u/dreco214
16.
“We’re together 10 years later.
Got married at 22 and 24, and it’s going better than ever!
I do not recommend early marriage, though.
“I’m lucky that my husband has always taken responsibility for maintaining our home and performing house labor.
u/Ok-Vacation2308
17.
“Got married at 23 and became parents at 24.
We’re now 15 years in, and were doing fine.
Hes still my best friend and we rarely fight.
We started dating at 17 and 18, so its not as if it was a short relationship.
It sounds terrible.”
u/Less_Tea2063
18.
It was finalized in 1992.
I have not remarried because that one was enough for 10 lifetimes.”
u/gimpy1511
19.
“Not only did I marry young, but I married my first boyfriend.
He was long distance for three years before we even physically met.
He’s from Kazakhstan and I’m American.
We are still happily married, and we’re going back to Kazakhstan to visit his family soon.
He stayed by my side through my cancer treatments, and he’s been incredibly kind to me.”
u/Mousewaterdrinker
20.
“Married at 26.
We divorced 10 years later, and now Im with the most perfect person Ive ever met.
If youre not 100%, dont get married 80% or 90% isnt good enough.”
u/Super-Kirby
21. u/trancedf
22.
We’re now 50 and still in love and happy.
u/sp00ky
23.
“Both of us got married under 25.
We’ll be married 17 years later this year.
It’s going well, but kids and work take their toll.
I can tell you that she’s the best thing that ever happened to me.
I can’t imagine life without her.
I can’t imagine loving someone more than I love her.”
u/panteragstk
24.
“Next year, I turn 32 and will celebrate my 10th anniversary.
I lucked out on having an amazing partner who has changed alongside me without falling out of love.
u/EmperorBulbax
25.
“I was less than three months from my 25th birthday when I got married.
I was too young emotionally and didnt listen to my gut or pay attention to the red flags.
We divorced 16 years later.
That was seven years ago, and I love myself so much more than back then.
Still single, and Im not settling for less than Im worth.”
u/kathatter75
26.
“Married at 19 and still together after 34 years.
Not gonna say it’s a perfect partnership, but we both roll with the changes.
It started out with him working and me at home with our son.
Now I’m working full time and he’s the househusband.
To tell you the truth, he’s better at it than I was.”
u/Bebinn
27.
“I married when I was 19 and my husband was 21.
We just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary.
It’s going well, I’d say.
There is nothing better than going through life with your best friend by your side.
Jealousy and insecurity are things of the past.
I love him more with each passing year.”
u/daelite
28.
“Married at 23 and will be married 19 years this year.
It’s going great; he’s my best friend.
u/TuesDazeGone
29.
“I had just turned 24 and she was 22.
We celebrated our 23rd anniversary in December.
We have a son and are still very much in love with each other.
I love her, and being with her is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
u/Euryheli
30.
“I was 19 and he was 20.
I was four months pregnant.
We were planning on getting married when we found out I was pregnant.
People made bets we wouldnt last five years, then 10 years.
We just celebrated 40 years.
My two oldest sisters and younger brother are divorced.
Weve been through practically everything together.
And here we are, STILL.
“Are we still ‘in love’ with each other?
Some days yes, some days no.
Sometimes we cant stand each other.
But here we are…40 years.”
u/eff_the_rest
31.
I had two more kids and am currently remarried.
My ex-husband and I were both very young and not ready for what we did.
After years together, we grew apart.
I changed and he didn’t.
That was part of the problem.
He is a 21-year-old in the body of a 37-year-old.”
u/Suspiciousunicorns
32.
“My husband and I were both 25 when we got married.
Its going fairly well, by all accounts, but not without any problems or things to work through.
“There are huge changes that happen after age 25, and even more after you turn 30. u/jklolxoxo
33.
“Met at 21, married at 24.
I’m as shocked as you are, but very happily so.
u/jazzlynlamier
34.
“We got together at 18, and we lasted for 10 years.
He wanted to live a single life, and I gave it to him.”
u/JellyfishTop193
35.And last: “We are 40.
We started dating at 16 in 2000 and got married in our 20s in 2009.
We have two kids.
I love him very much and think he is a pretty amazing husband overall.
But I do sometimes think that picking your ‘forever’ at a young age isnt great.
I think we both could have found people we have more in common with.
We were just teens/young adults who didn’t want to go through the heartache of breaking up for good.
We would split and get back together frequently until we had a kid together.
Im happy if he is my forever.”
u/IYKYK1983
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
