What is the Best Age to Get Married?

The Irish Public Decide What is the Best Age to Get Married at

As specialists in engagement rings and wedding rings, and with Irish men and women getting married later in life than ever before, we wanted to know what the Irish public thought was the best age to get married at. So, we went and found out!

We surveyed 1,000 members of the Irish public asking them just that - ‘What age do you think people should get married at?’

Read on to discover what we found out.

Irish People Want to Marry in Their Early 30s

According to our survey results, nearly 34% of respondents stated that they thought the best age to get married was between 30 and 33. This was followed closely by 25 to 29, which received 24.5% of the vote, possibly highlighting how people nowadays are focusing on a career before thinking of marriage. The numbers dwindled in the younger and older age categories.

Perhaps surprisingly, more than 15 per cent of survey respondents reported that they did not think people should get married at all, perhaps showing that some couples might prefer to stay engaged, which is becoming more common, or give a promise ring or eternity as another symbol of commitment. 

Men responded ‘Never’ more than women (19% vs 11%) but were in agreement as to the age of 30-33 to get married at, followed by 25-34.

Surprisingly, those aged between 18-24 replied that the age people should get married at is 18-24, more so than any other age group, which could highlight, in part, that more life experience is perhaps required to make such a big decision.

Older age groups were not in agreement, with much lower response rates to getting married between the ages of 18-24, indicating that with experience and growth in life, it is better to get married at a later age.

Research Backed by Psychology

Psychology has quite a bit to say on the topic as well. Psychologically, those who get married while still young have not yet finished developing mentally and are still in the process of discovering who they are and want to be as people. This is one of the primary reasons why those who get married young have the highest rates of divorce. As they grow older, they often find that their passions and values no longer align with their partner's evolution as a person, resulting in divorce.

For first-time marriages in the late 20s and early 30s, divorce rates drop to the lowest levels for any age group. Surprisingly, those who wait until their 40s or later to get married experience divorce rates that are almost as high as in the youngest group. Some psychologists believe that this could be because people who have not yet married by their 40s feel societal pressure to do so, possibly leading them to marry someone who may be a less-than-perfect fit, increasing the likelihood of divorce in the future.

Trending Towards Later Marriage

This isn't just a question of opinion, though, but also one of action. Over the last few decades, people have been getting married later and later in life. While those with university educations have historically tended to get married later than their those finishing education at secondary school level, those without bachelor degrees are now seemingly waiting longer to get married.

According to the Institute for Family Studies, early marriage rates (meaning marriages between those in their early 20s) have dropped by about half among university graduates over the last two decades. Among those without a degree, the numbers dropped even more dramatically, decreasing by more than 55 per cent in the same period.

Analysing the Results

So, what does this mean for you? Well ultimately, while it could be a good idea to not get married at a very young age, only you can decide on the best time to get married at.

You may meet your perfect match at a young age, or you may not find the right person for many more years. At the end of the day, the choice is entirely up to you.

When you are ready to take the plunge, visit Bannon Jewellers. We have a vast selection of engagement and wedding rings for you to choose from, and we can create custom rings to suit your preferences as well. Book an appointment with us or stop by our shop today to find out more.