fun fact: you can get married at 16 over here, but you can't drink or get a credit card til you're 18.
age means nothing. my bestest friend got engaged last autumn after being with her boyfriend for 3 months. seems short, but they've actually known each other since they were 3. they'll be getting married next summer, when they're 22, but i know that she wouldnt have become committed unless she knew this guy was special.
i think, people need to see marriage for what it is before they can commit to it. its a ritual, a promise. its not going to make things better if there's something wrong, and equally its not going to make anything any worse. you'll still wake up to the same person next to you every morning. (i would expect).
im not slating marriage, i have absolutely no feelngs towards it either way. but really, its just a ritual. nothing to get over-excited OR scared about.