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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to worry my son is too young to marry?

370 replies

Eralione · Yesterday 15:16

Afternoon,
DH and I have one DS he is 23 (24 in October), a teacher. He has been with his girlfriend since they were 14/15, they broke up briefly around 18/19 for about 4 months and have been together since.

He has just decided to propose and they have told us they plan to get married next summer, she will be 23 and him 24.

We recently used a deed of variation to pass on a large amount of inheritance which they have used to boy a property outright, I believe this is just in DSs name but I’ll be honest I don’t know as the money had nothing to do with us since we used a deed of variation.

Im worried they are far too young to being getting married and it may all end in flames. I don’t understand the hurry. I’m also worried this will compromise our son’s financial position.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Shloopie · Yesterday 15:49

Yeah I think it's too young. I also think marrying your childhood sweetheart is a bad move. But they're adults and get to decide for themselves.

amber763 · Yesterday 15:49

Every single person i know without exception who married at that age is divorced but there's bit really much you can do! Hope it works out for them.

waitinginwonderland · Yesterday 15:49

I would be disappointed that my child was settling down so young but it seems like this is an unpopular opinion. Has he experienced anything other than school, uni and her? Travelled, gap year, other jobs, mates holidays, hobbies, volunteering? I’ve got two friends who married in their twenties, everyone else was early to mid thirties. They are the only two who are now divorced. It’s probably coincidence, but I think when you’ve had limited experience outside of each other it’s easier to grow apart and want different things.

Eralione · Yesterday 15:48

HisNibs · Yesterday 15:32

Given that they've been together over 9 years, your objection suggests that the problem is perhaps more that you don't like her?
I was younger when I married and still am 30+ years later.

Gosh no, she’s lovely, I think she’s great and she and I have a wonderful relationship, she’s a lovely young woman, very kind and talented. It’s not about protecting DS and more them both, it’s young to get married, the house they have bought is in the village she grew up in, I’m worried they are just settling so young when they have much of the world to see!

And yes it does worry me about the 50% of the house would go to her not because I don’t think she’s lovely but because I passed it on to DS, tbh I should have thought it through before I did it but I was grieving and it seemed like the obvious thing to do.

OP posts:
AtomHeartMotherOfGod · Yesterday 15:47

Well it might go tits up, but it might not. I've known couples with a similar backstory go both ways - loving, long marriages and messy divorces.

I would encourage marriage counselling - look at local churches who might offer it - just to be sure they've discussed important factors such as what each of them hopes for a family, job and where they'll settle down (although sounds like that's more agreed).

Also how significant was the break up around 19 - was that serious or just to get out there a bit before deciding/ knowing for sure that they wanted to be together forever?

ladyofroo · Yesterday 15:47

Raptors · Yesterday 15:44

And what indication do you have that they have not lived together for a long period already.

You seem to have a lot of ridiculously obstacles for this couple to overcome to get married. I wonder do you have the same rules for people who meet when they are older. I suspect not. Hmm

I agree and what is the acceptable, socially approved age to get married where you can absolutely cast iron guarantee you wont ever get divorced?

Oh thats right- there isnt one! 🙄

HollyhocksandPeons · Yesterday 15:46

What a lovely age to marry! Young, vibrant! God bless them and congratulations! Have you not read enough posts on MN to realise how lucky and blessed your son is?

Freshstartyear25 · Yesterday 15:45

I was 23 and DH was 25 when we got married. Still happily married 16 years later. Difference is none of us had an inheritance or wealth so started on the same level and built our lives jointly from there. I don’t think you feel he’s young, the inheritance is what’s making you have reservations but you should have thought of this before signing the money over, you can’t expect him not to ever get married, as the possibility of him losing some of it in divorce will always be there if he gets married at 24 or at 50

Newbie40 · Yesterday 15:45

I don't see a problem with it, they have been together a few years now, they haven't rushed into it and they aren't teenagers anymore.
I married when I was 23, and next month we will be celebrating our 17th Wedding Anniversary, we have actually been together almost 22 years.

Bluenotgreen · Yesterday 15:45

Definitely not too young to marry. Surely if you were worried about gold diggers this girl wouldn’t be in the frame as she’s been with him since she was a teen.

Raghnaid · Yesterday 15:45

CookieDoughJoe · Yesterday 15:17

It’s a perfectly normal age to marry.

@CookieDoughJoe I was purely addressing the "perfectly normal" aspect of your post.

FirmSnake · Yesterday 15:45

Itsthewoluff · Yesterday 15:42

I’d certainly be encouraging a long period of living together first.

Even that is no guarantee. Cohabitation before marriage is actually correlated with higher divorce rates....

Raptors · Yesterday 15:44

Itsthewoluff · Yesterday 15:42

I’d certainly be encouraging a long period of living together first.

And what indication do you have that they have not lived together for a long period already.

You seem to have a lot of ridiculously obstacles for this couple to overcome to get married. I wonder do you have the same rules for people who meet when they are older. I suspect not. Hmm

LarryForPrimeMinister · Yesterday 15:44

Time to cut the apron strings op. Your being ridiculous.

ladyofroo · Yesterday 15:43

I presume his girlfriend hadn’t been playing the long game since the age of 14 to get her hands on your money.

This made me laugh! - exactly, I am not sure why you think this woman is after his money OP but thats what you seem to be implying and it's a bit odd considering theyve been together for that long.

25 when he gets married is not ridiculously young. He's a grown man.

DoAWheelie · Yesterday 15:43

In what world is a 10 year wait "a hurry"? They've been together long enough to know each other inside and out, and have grown together through several life stages. They are about as ready as you can get.

AprilMizzel · Yesterday 15:42

Itsthewoluff · Yesterday 15:34

Someone has probably scrimped and saved and gone without to save that money. The OP has then gone without her inheritance to sign that deed of variation, thereby depriving herself of it. Hell yes I wouldn’t want 50% plus of it going out of my child’s hands.

If you hand money over to another adult you lose control over what they choose to do with it.

If he doens't marry now he could still later and still divorse and lose half.

My MIL who married at 18 and had DH at 19 - kept on we were too young to have kids - 28 and 30 - respectively. They were mortage and child free by their 40s - she now goes on about us still having a mortage and kids at home in our 50s - better our 50s than our 60s I think which is where we'd have been if we'd awaited like she wanted - also she wouldn't have been able to be the active DGP in their lives she was. I think perceptions of time do get screwed up.

The average age first time marriage of men is 32 - that's mix of economics and socially driven - if kids are planned that just means they are around and dependent closer to retirement ages.

Itsthewoluff · Yesterday 15:42

FirmSnake · Yesterday 15:35

So you would want your child to stay single forever?

I’d certainly be encouraging a long period of living together first.

IdaGlossop · Yesterday 15:42

My DD is getting married next year, at 24. Her fiancé is also 24. She is the first of her university peer group to marry. It is young (I was 41) but I am thrilled because they are both mature, thoughtful people who clearly love one another after five years rent together. I'm not sure 'too young' is the point. It's about the relationship in this particular case.

You say nothing about the compatibility of your son and his fiancée. If you feel positive about the marriage, surely the financial question isn't an issue.

NotAtMyAge · Yesterday 15:41

Eralione · Yesterday 15:16

Afternoon,
DH and I have one DS he is 23 (24 in October), a teacher. He has been with his girlfriend since they were 14/15, they broke up briefly around 18/19 for about 4 months and have been together since.

He has just decided to propose and they have told us they plan to get married next summer, she will be 23 and him 24.

We recently used a deed of variation to pass on a large amount of inheritance which they have used to boy a property outright, I believe this is just in DSs name but I’ll be honest I don’t know as the money had nothing to do with us since we used a deed of variation.

Im worried they are far too young to being getting married and it may all end in flames. I don’t understand the hurry. I’m also worried this will compromise our son’s financial position.

AIBU?

I was just 22 and DH was still only 21 when we married. That was 58 years ago and we are still very happily married. Age is just a number. What matters is maturity.

Sakura7 · Yesterday 15:41

Raghnaid · Yesterday 15:35

@CookieDoughJoe

In the UK in 2026, according to the ONS, the average marrying age for men is 34.8, for women it's 33 years.

Marriage among people in their early twenties has almost entirely bottomed out.

Only about 2% of men are married by the age of 25

A huge reason why it's older now is because it takes so much longer for young people to establish their careers and secure housing.

OP's son now has both.

grinandslothit · Yesterday 15:40

Not too young they've been together a long time I reckon they both have education and jobs now and now they have stable housing so what's not to like about them making things official
It sounds like they've been sensible

Superhansrantowindsor · Yesterday 15:39

So they have been together years, he has a good, stable job. They have a home. YABVU. It’s a perfectly normal age to marry.

CookieDoughJoe · Yesterday 15:39

Raghnaid · Yesterday 15:35

@CookieDoughJoe

In the UK in 2026, according to the ONS, the average marrying age for men is 34.8, for women it's 33 years.

Marriage among people in their early twenties has almost entirely bottomed out.

Only about 2% of men are married by the age of 25

I know that the age that people are marrying and having babies is later than it used to be but I find it infantilising when I see people suggest that people marrying/having children around this age is much too young. It isn’t. Just because more and more people decide to wait until their 30s now doesn’t make it wrong or a bad idea.

ThunderThunderThunderThunderCats · Yesterday 15:37

I got married when I was 21, still married 27 years later. My parents got married when they were 19, they’re divorced now, but were still married for 20 years. If they’d only just met I’d think you’d have a point, but they’ve been together since they were young teens. I assume they’re already living together? If so they obviously feel happy together to take the next step. They’re not too young at all.