We can witness that there has been a tremendous change in the marriage trend lately. Led by their desire to focus on their careers, personal goals, trying to form a financial foundation upon which to create a family, and even questioning the meaning of marriage itself, this current generation of young couples is redefining marriage.
Marriage for sure is no longer a necessity but a choice.
The millennial generation has brought about an entirely new way of looking at love and the union of marriage in and of itself.
Many millennials are waiting and planning to be more strategic in other aspects of their life, like their career and financial future, while also pursuing their personal values like politics, education, and religion.
A shift in women’s role in society is also contributing to putting off marriage for a while, as women pursue college, careers, and other options that weren’t available or accessible for previous generations of women. Millennials, compared to The Silent Generation, are overall better educated, and especially women: they are now more likely than men to attain a bachelor’s degree, and are much more likely to be working than their Silent Generation counterparts.
Other millennials are getting married later as they have shown skepticism towards marriage, whether that be because they witnessed their parents get divorced or because they think lifelong cohabitation may be a more convenient and realistic option than the binding legal and economic ties of marriage.
By waiting longer to get married, millennials also open themselves up to a number of serious relationships before they decide to commit to their life partner, which puts newly married couples on different developmental footing compared to newlyweds from their parents or grandparents.
Millennials also are gaining more life experiences by waiting to marry. They are trying to climb the ladder and become financially independent. They are exploring their individual interests and values and gaining valuable experience, and they feel that is their prerogative.
Millennials are certainly redefining not only when to get married, but what it means to them. While they may be waiting longer to get married, millennials are ultimately gaining valuable experience so that they can build stronger and more successful relationships based on understanding, experience and trust.
In millennial marriages, it’s not uncommon for the woman to be the primary source of income. But, you better believe this was near-unheard of a mere 50-60 years ago. With so much more economic opportunity for women now, couples are more likely to both have jobs and contribute to their household income.
When couples decide to have kids has also changed drastically. Many are waiting longer, which gives them more opportunity to enjoy their marriage without the duty and distraction of childrearing. This can be quite beneficial to the relationship itself.