Delaying Your Wedding? Here's Why

My wonderful boyfriend and I have been together for well over 7 years now, and the number one question we get asked is, "Why aren't you married?".

Fair question. Really! But if you fall under the category of "millennial" like we do, then you already know the answer to that question....

Photo courtesy of Wedding Include.

Weddings are SO EXPENSIVE! And unless you opt for a bespoke wedding and wish to challenge traditions, it's something you will need (have) to save for. The trouble is, most couples our age with our kind of background already have a lot going on - student loan and/or financial debt and fairly steady bills. Not to mention those of you who have already purchased a house or have children between you. Weddings just fall under "unnecessary financial hardship" for most.

I didn't need to read up much on this topic, because I'm already living it! But there is much debate on the subject. This article tells us the median age at first marriage is now 27 for women and 29 for men — up from 20 for women and 23 for men in 1960. The vast majority of this age group still deems marriage as a definite outcome (as do we), but they "lack what they deem to be a necessary prerequisite: a solid economic foundation". This article states: "It seems that everyone has a different answer for why: Blame it on the economy. Or dating apps. Or women’s ability to delay childbearing. But the less sexy answer is that it’s all of the above. Marriage is indeed a financial investment, which explains why people in their 20s aren’t ready to take the plunge, considering the mounting debts and scarce job prospects they face today."

My boyfriend and I have the same problem: We met in college, in our early 20's, but we both wanted to graduate college first, which proved to be a bigger problem than we originally intended. Both of us changed majors in college, and both of us came out of college after 5 (for him) and 6 (for me) years with student loan debt.

Then it took both of us a few years to gain some footing in our chosen fields. We are just now to the point where (financially) we are considering the possibility of marriage. But it's still a challenge - between the rising cost of weddings and the future pressure of purchasing a home shortly followed by the rising cost of children, it almost seems overwhelming to even think about taking the first step!

This is only the tip of the iceberg for me, as I have many more opinions/concerns about the topic of marriage, children, financial stability, etc. But for now. I will rest easy knowing that my partner and I do not rush the big milestones and that we will decide together what step to take next :)

Anyone else feeling the pressures of adulthood? Want to leave a comment? Reply in the comments section below!