There should be no age restriction, but rather a maturity restriction. And since maturity is sometimes hard to measure, we base it on one’s age. The higher one’s age, the higher one’s maturity. This is true most of the time (as one ages one becomes more mature) but there is not a set maturity for a certain age. Some 16-year-olds would not be mature enough to marry, or to even be in love, while others would. You may or may not be mature enough to marry, but if your parents support you it is a good sign that you are. One would have to know far more on your situation to decide whether you are mature enough to marry, and it is always impossible to be sure that you are. So of course, only time will tell.

he must be a great guy…anyways i do not believe you can put an age for when you understand love. it has to deal with maturity and nothing at all with age. i am 17 years old and head over heels for my boyfriend, i would do anything for him and you know what as soon as he gets money he is going to buy me and ring and we are getting married as soon as possible. i hate when people say you are too young to understand, trust me if you are mature enough you understand love an deserve it as well. congratulations on being engaged!

_Ash

I don’t believe you have to be a certain age to fall in love with somebody. I think love is different to everyone. Love is personalized. We love somebody when they fulfill our wants and our needs and surprise us beyond that. One person’s love is another’s hate, and that’s fine. As long as you’re happy.

And congratulations on your engagement!

- Solaris

What’s with you people? How could you think NO age restriction could be put on falling in love. Do you think a 4 year old can be in love?

What just is the age where someone is capable of being in love? There is none, of course. It varies from person to person. You could be mature enough—on whichever levels—to understand the complexities of being in love at a very young age, and you could be immature enough to be nearly incapable of it at 24.

Just how DO you know? It’s hard to say really. A lot of romantics like to simply put, “When it happens, you’ll know…” or “It will hit you like a ton of bricks!”. As if it were always that easy. Being infatuated could easily be confused with being in love. It’s not always as easy as, “Would you still love them if the had no hair? Do you pay attention and value what they have to say, and vice versa?”. Things can get awfully confusing.

I think that’s the only reason—or at least the only REAL reason—someone would have to say you’re too young to be in love. It’s certainly possible to be in love at 16. But with little experience, it’s probably just harder to tell just what you have exactly. I know when I was 15 I was convinced I was in love with someone—and yes, I would have been with them even if they were scarred in a fire and yes we knew each other very well. But to be perfectly honest, I eventually realized that despite the fact I cared for her very much, we weren’t good for each other. We loved each other but were essentially destroying one another on the inside due to certain complications. If we truly were in love with each other, we would want what’s best for the other; not grip onto the other in spite of the pain you cause just because YOU want it. You know…kind of like in those movies where the kid has to yell at the dog and throw things at it to make it go away and save it, even though he’s crying the whole time.

Sorry if that was long and rambly…But anyway, my advice is to stick to it. Don’t let other people’s opinions bother you (but do at least weigh it in your mind. Do you at all feel like you’re not actually in love? WOULD you be with him even if he had 11 toes on his head and all that?). BUT, I see no reason to rush into marriage. An extended engagement is fine, but you have your entire lives to be married. Your young, just enjoy one another. If you feeled pressured by the old, “If I really want to spend my life with him, what’s the difference WHEN we make it official.” Well, just respond with, “I’f I’m really GOING to spend the rest of my life with him, what’s the difference if I put off the ‘officiality’ of it all. Our love will be the same either way.” At least think about it.

I don’t think that you can put an age on love. Love isn’t something that can be created. It is something that you can’t stop and for the most part is very unexpected when it does happen. So I don’t think that it is fair for ppl to say when a person is old enough to love.

But are you sure you understand what love is?

I think you’d have to understand love to be in love, and that may mean being at least in high school, but beyond that I wouldn’t put an age restriction on it.

Well , wow .. 16 years old & engaged!!!!! I’m happy for you, that you think you’ve found love, and apparantly marriage at 16. There is no limited age where you should be able to fall in love.

My first true love was when I was 5-6ish. You may not realize it then but now I do. Go for it!

i don't think you have to be a certain age, there isn't age restrictions for falling in love. granted most of the time younger people only like others for their looks, it isn't really love, but that doesn't apply to everyone

Love is just an opinion. A person can define love as anything they want, and therefore can fall in love at any age. It all depends on what they define as love. The dictionary definition leaves plenty of room for thought.

In my own opinion. its not wether other people agree or disagree. if thats what you in your heart beieve is right . then hey what the hell go for it but its a huge step but just be sure that you dont stop school or anything like that because it may be a sure decision now but you could change your mind inas little as a week but then again it could last dont listen to other peoples opinions because opinions are like assholes everyone has them. and some think with them. just be smart abouth the decision you make its all up to you and good luck

I fell in love at the age of 12. I believe love is possible if you understand it first.