For most of recorded
history in
Asia, Africa, and Europe, men could be considered marriageable at 14 years and women at 12 years, although usually both parties had to be physically mature enough to consummate the marriage.
The bride is usually between 12-
25 years of
age, traditionally; depending on where and when the setting is, a bride 18 years of age can be seen as too young, too
old, or perfectly marriageable; Ancient Greeks and Ancient Romans and Ancient Hebrews, like much of Africa and South
Asia today, wanted to marry their daughters off before she gave into physical temptation and had
sex before she was married. Vikings, on the other hand, preferred a bride closer to age 20, in full bloom.
The groom, on the other hand, can be any age from a few years younger than the bride to roughly her age to at least a decade older than her.
Until recently, the quinceañera and sweet sixteen parties marked a young
woman's entry into adulthood and marriageable age; now that so few women are married that early, both have
lost some meaning and degenerated into excess.
