If you thought getting married too young was a recipe for divorce, you might be surprised to learn that getting married in your thirties leads to the exact same thing.
According to University of Utah sociologist Nicholas Wolfinger, the best age for couples to get married is in their late twenties.
After comparing data from the 2006 and 2010 National Survey of Family Growth in the U.S., Wolfinger discovered that the odds of divorce decreased for couples by 11 per cent yearly after the age of 25 up until the age of 32 — when odds began to increase again by 5 per cent annually.
The reason, Wolfinger hypothesizes, could be because those who wait too long are often faced with a smaller pool potential partners, some of whom he believes "aren’t predisposed toward doing well in their marriages."
Basically, some people just aren't cut out for marriage and the longer you wait the more likely you are to end up marrying some one who fits that description.
But before you go running to the altar, you might be interested to know relationship experts at Match say those who wait until their thirties to marry will likely only be married once in their lives. And Elite Daily points to statistics that suggest most men aren't ready for marriage until after 30 anyway.
So if you don't have a ring on your finger and you're approaching the big 3-0, don't stress, the "perfect age" to be married isn't set in stone. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
8 Dating Habits For Successful Relationships
Making The First Move(01 of08)
Open Image ModalPolitical Preferences(02 of08)
Open Image ModalBY THE NUMBERS: According to the survey, 85 per cent of women have dated someone outside of their political beliefs.
SHOULD YOU? To keep conversations interesting, why wouldn't you? Hart says if you are dating someone who has different political values, make sure you communicate your values within the first few dates. "If you can focus more on where you agree, you could find yourself having the same moral values and ethics." Also, avoid anyone who doesn't respect your beliefs. (credit:ShutterStock)
Healthy Number Of Dates(03 of08)
Open Image ModalBY THE NUMBERS: According to the survey, 70 per cent of Canadians have gone on two or more dates in the last year.
SHOULD YOU? "I think this is a great average," Hart says. If you're looking to get back into the dating scene, Hart says coffee dates are easy ways to get back into the game -- don't wait around for a year for dates to happen. (credit:Shutterstock )
Kissing On The First Date(04 of08)
Open Image ModalBY THE NUMBERS: According to the survey, 44 per cent of Canadians wait until the second date to lock lips.
SHOULD YOU? "If there is any kissing on the first date, it should be on the cheek," Hart says. Locking lips on the second date is fine -- often couples find themselves short on time during their first date, which leads to awkwardness during a goodbye kiss at the end of the night, Hart says. (credit:Shutterstock )
Kissing...And Telling(05 of08)
Open Image ModalBY THE NUMBERS: According to the survey, 89 per cent of Canadians admitted to telling someone else about their dates.
SHOULD YOU? Make sure you have a few close friends you're willing to share secrets with -- a best friend or a family member for example. "You don't want to go to work and tell five people about your date, you're going to get a mix of opinions that can confuse you," Hart says. (credit:Shutterstock )
Love At First Sight(06 of08)
Open Image ModalBY THE NUMBERS: According to the survey, 66 per cent of Canadians believe in love at first sight.
SHOULD YOU? Well, this one is tricky. Some people do and some people don't Hart says, but more importantly, never let a bad date get you down. "Don't worry if it isn't love at first sight, sometimes you need at least four dates until you to know someone," she says. (credit:Shutterstock )
Moving In...Too Soon?(07 of08)
Open Image ModalBY THE NUMBERS: According to the survey, 31 per cent of Canadians would move in with their partners after less than one year of dating.
SHOULD YOU? "This is a nice low number. I think you need to know somebody through four seasons before you start sharing places," Hart says. (credit:ShutterStock)
Split The Bills(08 of08)
Open Image ModalBY THE NUMBERS: According to the survey, 12 per cent of Canadian women say they would never pay for the bill.
SHOULD YOU? Never pay? You want to be in a relationship right? Even if you want your partner to pay for the first date, Hart says being in a partnership is communicating to one another -- and offering to pay for a meal or plan a date is always a nice gesture. (credit:ShutterStock)