Why Men Get Married

There are some interesting mindsets as to why men get married. The average marriage age for men has reached 27, much later compared to earlier generations. So when men get around to finally popping the question, what makes them tick at that point in time? Four reasons seem to be the driving forces as to why men get married.

The Ultimatum

Sometimes men get married because the ultimatum rears its ugly head. Because men are getting married later on average, this has a reverse spiral effect on the woman's biological clock. If men are getting married in their late twenties and beyond, this makes the average woman nervous for baby making prospects.

According to a study published in 2004 entitled, Essay: The Marrying Kind: Which Men Marry and Why, 569 married men, aged 25-34 were asked why they got married. 15 percent said they married sooner than they wished because of pressure from their partner.

Children

In today's thinking, men enjoy the idea of cohabitating with a woman without being married. After all, it's just a piece of paper, until the concept of raising kids comes into play. Men get married because they feel marriage is appropriate before deciding to bring a child into the world. The conventional wisdom indicates that it would send the "wrong message" if a cohabitating man and woman raised a child without being married. According to the 2004 study, 35 percent said the desire to have children was a major factor in deciding to settle down. Along with having children, 75 percent of men who were looking for a spouse chose someone who would be a good mother.

Right Timing

Men get married because they arrive at a point in time where they decide it's the right time for marriage. They may have reached a point in their life where they're at a comfortable level of financial stability. Another threshold they've crossed is figuring they've lived the single life long enough. Of the married men polled, the largest percentage, 81 percent, said they got married "because it was the right time to settle down."

Inept at Dating

While this question wasn't posed in the study, it figures to be one of the major factors as to why some men get married. Some guys are not as fortunate in the dating arena; they don't have the "game" as other guys do. Whether they fall short in looks or they lack self-confidence, they don't have the ability to meet women who will go for them. Men in this dating-impaired category seem to finally meet someone and go ahead and take the trip down the aisle.

Source:

http://marriage.rutgers.edu/Publications/SOOU/TEXTSOOU2004.htm