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How old were you when you first started dating?

mmi

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Nov 2, 2010
Messages
101
Simple question. :) Did it affect how your relationship progressed?

(SO and I started dating in our mid to late teens)

Mmi
 

lvcushion

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
31
SO and I started dating in college. I'm sure if we met after college once we were established, our timeline would be shorter. I think your relationship can "progress" to be serious enough for making future plans without the means to get there, and it can get frustrating.

If you've been with someone for many years and are waiting for an engagement, but you started dating before you were financially independent, it can definitely cause you to wait longer than two people who meet later in life.

How long have you been together?
 

midwestlegal

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
10
I definitely agree, lvcushion. We also started dating in college--we were both 22 (now 25 and 26), and I think our timeline would have been much shorter had we been older! But he needed to go through medical school and I through law school. We're long distance, so we'd like to get back to the same city before getting married.
 

OrchidVee

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
98
I was 24 and he was 26 when we first met and became friends. I was 25 and he 27 when we first started dating officially. I definitely think because we met after we finished college and had established careers (then I decided to change mine up lol) our timeline is shorter than it would have been had we met before finishing college.
 

MissStepcut

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
1,723
25 and 26. We will get married two years after we started dating. I think meeting in our mid-20s was as early as we could have met to get married so soon.
 

mademoisellepeary

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 27, 2011
Messages
2
Early 20s and we will be married late 20s (hopefully).

If we had have met any early it would have just taken longer.
 

lvcushion

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
31
midwestlegal, we are also 25 and 26. We started dating just as we turned 20 and 21, so it sounds like a long time when I talk to other people, but it just takes a little longer to get somewhat settled into adult life these days. Plus, he knows I have high standards and doesn't want to disappoint! :love:
 

jlp86

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Aug 13, 2011
Messages
199
I was 23 and he was 24. He already had a great job and a place of his own. About 3 months into dating I got a great job as well. We are now both a year older and I think things moved faster than had we both been in college or high school. A lot had to do with knowing what we were looking for in a relationship and then being able to act on that because we weren't in college and we could afford to do things.
 

Glitz

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jun 28, 2010
Messages
292
He was 19 and I was 21 when we started dating, he's 25 now and I'm 26. In the last 6 years we've both accomplished things that we wanted before we take the next step. We now have great careers, we own a house together and we finally both feel it's time for marriage. I think your age and/or your priorities are mainly what determines "readiness".
 

atp223

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
290
My BF and I met during my last year of law school (and his 3rd out of 4 years). I was 24 and he was 25. We started dating about a year later, after I had graduated. We've now known each other for 3 years and been dating for about 2 (so we are now 27/28). We moved in together this summer and the ring has been purchased. I also agree that because we met slightly later, and both got jobs right after law school, and have had time to adjust to them, the timeline has been faster than if we had met when we were younger and/or if the job situation had been rocky. I was worried about the latter - that he wasn't going to have a job post-graduation because of the state of the job market. The firm at which he was a summer associate no-offered his whole class (you law student LIWs know what I'm talking about!), and I was concerned our timeline would be significantly pushed back - I think him having a stable job he was happy with was necessary for our relationship to progress to the next level. But luckily he found an even better job and everything worked out. Now I am just patiently (ish) waiting for the ring...

But yes, I think financial independence and job stability (which is semi-related to age), and particularly meeting at a time during or near the start of job stability, helps the timeline move along faster...
 

tammy77

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Messages
1,442
DH and I were older. He had just turned 28, I was 30. We got engaged when I was 33, married when I was 34. We're looking at TTC this spring, just after my 35th birthday. If we had met when we were younger, it DEFINITELY would have slowed down our progress. Not because we moved too fast (we didn't), but because when you're younger (no offense!) it's often likely that you're less settled - both in tangible things like finances and in less tangible things like emotional stability, truly knowing yourself and most importantly knowing what you really want/need in a lifelong relationship.
 

Amys Bling

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
11,025
Dating at 14.... Engaged at 26.... Married at 27. If we started dating during or after college the timeline would have been much shorter than 12 years :lol:
 

Asscherhalo_lover

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 16, 2007
Messages
5,703
I was 15 and DH was 16 when we started dating. We had met and were friendly for a year before that. Our relationship has grown and changed a lot over the last 10+ years! We were always steadily together. had never broken up or taken "time apart". About a year into college we got engaged but decided not got get married until we finished school. We married on our 7 year anniversary and have now been married more than 3 years. We love being married but are definitely waiting on children, lol.
 

sonnyjane

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
2,476
When we met, I was 23 and had already been out of college for two years working. He was 21 and had already been in the military for four years, so while our ages were young, we were both quite mature for our age. We got married two years later - I was 25 and he was 23. He started talking marriage about a year in - it was me that wasn't sure if I had sown all of my wild oats by that time or not. Luckily I decided that I had ;-)
 

gem_anemone

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 21, 2011
Messages
682
Although FI and I have an age gap, when we met we were both at the point in our lives where we wanted to have a mature relationship, buy a house, etc... no more sowing wild oats for us! We were 28 and 22 then. We just got engaged and are 31 and 25 now. Eek! I can't believe I dated a 22 year old LOL :lol: Good thing I did though because it was the best thing to ever happen to me :D
 

Chewbacca

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 9, 2012
Messages
699
Thought this might be a fun get-to-know-you thread to drag up.

I was 18, and SO was 21 when we met. We are now 24 and 27.

I guess we didn't actually talk about it much, but we both wanted to finish undergrad, establish ourselves in the workforce, and to be honest just plain old bump up the age a bit, before engagement/marriage. I still worry that I will be a 'child bride' - whats the age cut off? :lol: If we had met later I guess that yes, judging by my reasoning, the dating part would have been shorter!
 

madelise

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Sep 23, 2011
Messages
5,362
me: 21
him: 23


we're 24 and 26 now.
 

MBKRH

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 23, 2010
Messages
593
We were both 28 when we started dating. I'm 30 now, and he turns 30 in about two weeks.

I think we met each other at the perfect time in our lives. We have both some LTRs, and learned what we like/don't like in a partner. We have gone through the rough transitional years, learning about ourselves, etc....
Had we met each other 5 or so years ago, I don't think we'd be together today.
 

star sparkle

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 2, 2008
Messages
1,706
We were 25 (me) and 31 (him) when we started dating. We're engaged now and will be married after 2.5 years together, at 27 and 33. If we had started dating earlier, I think we definitely would have had a longer timeline. For us, the timing has been perfect.
 

sonnyjane

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
2,476
Oops lol! I was about to respond to this thread until I realized I already did last year haha!!
 

PhillyMcGee

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
95
We were both 15, now we are both 26. I agree when you are young your timeline is much much longer. When I tell people how long we have been together they are shocked we aren't married yet, but obviously we were not going to get married at like 18!! We now own out house together and all that, we had of course talked about the future, getting married and kids etc but it was always a sort of 'one day' thing. Only really this year has it become a real thing that we are ready for and want to do.
 

LJL

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Sep 22, 2011
Messages
538
We started dating when he was 21 and I was 20. We are 25 and 23 now (my bday is next week) so we should be engaged at 25 and 23/24. Hopefully married at 27 and 26 or around there. We have been together for 3 years/8months. I know that our age definitely affects the way SO looks at engagement/marriage and that he is always mindful of how "young" we are.... while I am always reminding him how old we are. Gotta get the ball rolling if Im gonna have kids by 30.
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,242
We were both 21. Engaged at 22 and married at 23/24, now 26 ::)
 

pandabee

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
2,910
I was 21 he was 23...now we're 24/25!
 

MayFlowers

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 13, 2009
Messages
944
We were both 18, now we're both 23! It definitely had an effect on our timeline. We both wanted to finish school and find jobs and a house before getting married. Those things have all finally been accomplished and so now, I'm just waiting. Hopefully he won't make me wait much longer!
 

CharmedOne

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 7, 2012
Messages
796
He was 19 (Lied and said he was 21) and I was 24. We met February 17th and married November 18th of that same year. We will be married 18 years in November with a 17 yr old and. 4 yr old :D
 

gatorblue

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 7, 2012
Messages
67
I was 24 and he was 25. Now 28 and 29. :)) Hoping to start planning the wedding for fall of 2013 sometime soon, so we'll be 29 and 30 when we get married.
 

antiquesparkler

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 15, 2012
Messages
543
I was 21 and he was 27 when we met. We began dating when I was 24 and he was 29. We are now 26 (today! blah :-o ) and 31. We are about 5 and a half years apart.

I think by the time we started dating, we were very established and were ready for a long committed relationship. We are moving much faster than we would if we were younger or had we started dating right away. :love:
 

Lady_Disdain

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Jul 25, 2008
Messages
3,988
gem_anemone|1317308978|3028719 said:
Although FI and I have an age gap, when we met we were both at the point in our lives where we wanted to have a mature relationship, buy a house, etc... no more sowing wild oats for us! We were 28 and 22 then. We just got engaged and are 31 and 25 now. Eek! I can't believe I dated a 22 year old LOL :lol: Good thing I did though because it was the best thing to ever happen to me :D

Don't I know the feeling. I was 27, with an established career in a very competitive field. He was 21 and still in college (law). Talk about shock when I realized the age difference and that school was undergrad (bachelor of law) and not grad, as I had assumed. I admit it was hard for me handle a first (it didn't phase him at all). I decided not to take him to any office events that involved significant others - I refused to both feed the gossip mill (oooh, some people would have had a blast with my cradle robbing and I know some partners wouldn't have looked at it with good eyes at all) or to ask him to avoid saying anything or pretending to be something else.
 

katiefofatey

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 24, 2012
Messages
17
I was 17, he was 18. Both at university. It has made us take things a lot slower. And made us comfortable with how things are. Except now we are.in.our mid 20s and all my friends have since met guys, gotten married, and had kids. MY TURN!!!
 
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