Millenials have changed the status-quo of many things, including marriage. In years gone by, it was generally expected that you get married early in your twenties. These days, people are taking a longer route to the destination.

Data from Pew Research has shown that the median age of people getting married (men and women) is the highest it’s ever been. But this doesn’t mean that millenials are against marriage. It simply shows that they are delaying it.

So why is an entire generation opting to push back their plans for nuptials? Well, there are a few reasons.

The most commonly cited reason is that millenials prefer to have their own lives in order before taking on a life-long partner. Careers, goals, bucket lists, travelling, studying, job promotions – these are all things millenials want to accomplish before marriage.

They are more concerned with establishing themselves as individuals, instead of rushing to share their lives with another person. Experts have reported that this, in fact, results in a more fulfilling marriage in the end.

Another reason is that divorce rates are high. Many millenials have been children of divorce. Having experienced this, they would prefer to ensure that they protect their own children from it. In order to do this, they are postponing marriage to be certain of their readiness and their compatibility with partners.

Quite notably, the importance of marriage has also decreased. This has also resulted in delayed marriages. In the past, marriage was a huge part of peoples lives and was even used to define people, especially women. Marriage no longer adds to (or lessens) a womans value, so women are in less of a hurry to go through with it.

Finally, the social norms have changed. Previously, you could not have kids without being married or it would be a scandal. You could not live with your partner without it being the talk of the town. These rules, in most places, are no longer a factor in the marriage equation. People are more free to live their lives and do as they please.

Of course, if you want to get married early in life that’s okay too. However, the trend seems to be that the age at which people marry is increasing.

So if you’re planning on marrying later in life, and you’re being questioned as to why you’re 28 and not married yet, feel free to provide your examiner with any of the reasons listed above!

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