My boyfriend proposed to me... I'm only 18, should I wait until I'm older to get married?

[jannii]

My boyfriend of four years proposed to me today... We're both 18 and I accepted... We've been going out for four years and we've known each other for almost our whole lives. We've talked seriously about getting married before but I didn't want to until I was able to to pull my own weight. He comes from a very rich family and he said he'll take care of my younger sister and my mother... Medicine money, hospital money and everything else. Even my uni fees. And my dad and older siblings can come home as his dad can give them all a solid job in his company... But this can all officially happen once we are married and they're all in-laws. That is his parent's conditions... He wants to provide us with everything immediately, but his parents said only once we get married.
I wanted to wait until I was a bit older... Maybe 23... At youngest 21. I love him, and he's the one I want to spend my life with but 18 seems a bit young to me...
Should I stay engaged and get married in 3-4 years? Or should I just get married now because he is the one I'm going to eventually marry and my family can also gain so many benefits from it...

Updates

+1 y

People don't seem to understand...
If we get married next year then I can go to university, quit my three jobs, take my mother and sister to hospital and see my older brother and sister and even my dad... I haven't seen them for 3 years...

Updates

+1 y

If not I have to continue selling myself to get enough money to buy medicine for my sister...
That's my biggest concern right now
If I marry now then my family get actually live together. And I'll be with the person I always wanted to marry..

[CuriousAn-]

Are you both in high school or graduated? For me thats kinda young because your now entering "adult" world and its a lot of responsibilities like getting into a good college, setting your future, having fun in your 20's. once your married, your going to miss out on things that you might regret later in life. Like traveling, going to parties, hanging out with friends, experience everything before your ready to settle down. This is just my opinion, if you'll completely ready then I wish you best of luck :-)

[jannii]

we just graduated high school
honestly i don't have a future like that in mind because i have to work to provide my family money... if i marry my fiance soon then it's a different story.. we can travel, go to uni and i can actually dream about a future.

[CuriousAn-]

So your marrying him for the money? Or do you love him? Your future is very important

[jannii]

of course i love him!
i've loved him ever since i saw him in pre school.

[PeachSunset]

Thats really young. If you love him tell him your feelings, but tell him that you want to wait. Both of your brains aren't physically prepared for it yet. You have to have more experience. Love is tough and takes effort and once you two get married you might want to have children and when that time comes and you end up bearing children at 19, its really not good for you. Trust me, to enjoy life start a marriage and having children in your mid 20's or early 30's!

[Mariecalo87]

Your boyfriend is so in a rush? Why married so fast then suffer so early. If i'm you i straight away say to him i am not ready and we are still young and still have time to enjoy freely in teenage days. Just don't marry and have kids early. i tell you very difficult.

[Zigzagz]

married life is significantly different from not married life. you have to weigh them both and think about which lifestyle you are more suited for. there are benefits to each and downsides to each. im sure you can rationalize those yourself.

[zaclark375]

It seems, 10 years later, the people that I grew up with that have the most successful and happy marriages are people that were together all through middle school-high school. If you love him and are happy I'd say go for it.

[lumos]

Since you're being so hesitant, yes, you should wait. If you've always wanted to get married at 20-something, then wait until you're 20-something. If you truly are meant to be or something, then waiting won't be a problem.

[Tractorbeam]

If you're smart, you'll wait until you've been banging him for at least 4 years before you marry.

[jannii]

not sure how that's smart.

[EternalSeptember]

It's just "if the sex isn't good the marriage will suck" propaganda.

[Tractorbeam]

I'd still advise knowing him for 4 years before marriage, even if you do want to take your chances of a lousy sex life in marriage.

[jannii]

i think our sex life will be just fine.
we've known each other for 14 years.. and we've been dating for 4 years. so i think that's alright.

[Anonymous]

You've been dating since you were 14? Sounds to me like a recipe for a great relationship or two people who have no idea what a relationship even is. You have to decide which.

[jannii]

i honestly can't think of many downsides to marrying him... we've been together for four years, and we've known each other since preschool.. he's the one i wanted to marry since i knew what marriage was... but marrying now seems like i'm doing it for the benefits for my family... so i feel like i'm leeching off him...

[rjroy3]

If you're asking this question online, yes you should wait

[Littlemike16]

If you really love I'm and want to marry don't wait

[Anonymous]

You say you are selling yourself and you make a bigger deal out of getting married than that?

[Anonymous]

If you're having to ask if you should get married, you're probably not ready to get married

[Iron_Man]

Yes Its way to early for something that big