Marriage Age

A recent study made by a professor at BYU discovered the average age for marriage had increased. Whether or not this is a problem is up to the students to decide.

Jessica Hall, a UVU sophomore in English education, is happy that the average age appears to be rising.

“It’s better to get married at an older age,” Hall said. “When you’re older you’re more capable and mature.”

Hall is not married, but plans to be so by 24 or 25. She thinks, her life and career will be better established.

Not everyone believes placing a particular age, younger or older, is a good thing for the basis of the rest of life. Andy Thomphson, a senior in behavioral science with an emphasis in family studies, disagrees with Hall. He too is unmarried.

“One reason people do it [wait to get married] is because of fear,” Thomphson said. “Young people want to have certain experiences single. [I think] waiting creates negative situations.”

The negative situations, Thomphson explains, are all based in fear and social ideals on when marriage is right.

“If you marry younger you have a big step on life,” Hall said. “I don’t think it’s bad to get married young, just questionable.”

Rose Hutchins, a sophomore getting a bachelor’s in dance with an emphasis in ballet, is 26 and has been married for more than a year. To some, this may be the ideal age, but for Hutchins, she didn’t wait for marriage; it just happened.

“I met my husband three years ago,” Hutchins said. “We dated for three months, got married seven months later. What’s the point of putting it off if you already know it is right?”

To Hutchins, it isn’t the age that matures the person. It’s the person.

“I have friends getting married at 20 and 21, and they’re more mature than some of my older friends,” Hutchins said.