There is no simple answer to this question and the youngest age to get legally married can vary by state. In general, most states require that both parties be at least 18 years old to be married without their parents’ permission; 16 years with the consent of their parents; and 14 years with a court order. (This is assuming that the marriage takes place in the United States.)

The two most notable exceptions to this are Mississippi and Nebraska. In Mississippi, parental consent is needed for those under the age of 21; if no consent is given at the time of the marriage application, parents are notified in writing and then should have three days to respond. Mississippi does not normally allow females under the age of 15, or males under 17 to marry – although parental approval can override this.

In Nebraska, if both parties are at least 19 years old, they are allowed to get married regardless of whether they have parental permission. If one of the parties is younger than 19, a notarized form of consent has to be signed and submitted by that person’s parents or legal guardian. And if either applicant is under 17 years old, the state of Nebraska will not issue a marriage-license.

 Worldwide, the laws and requirements also vary. Whereas most countries stipulate that 18 is the youngest age to get legally hitched, there are some exceptions. Scotland, Kenya and Jordan allow those who are 16 years or older to get married with or without parental consent, while some countries require that both parties be at least 21 – Algeria, India and Bangladesh, and many other countries don’t specify a minimum age, or the requirements; and are somewhat vague on the issue – Brunei and Kuwait are good examples.

 There aren’t really any rules and regulations concerning the age difference between a husband and wife – as long as both parties are of legal marrying age in any state or country. Most of us instinctively know when the age difference in a marriage is too great and of course, big age differences in marriages are often treated with suspicion or ridicule. In general, an age difference of more than 11 years between husband and wife is considered to be significant.

 The average age to get married in the United States is 25 for women and 27 for men. In general, people are living together for longer before they get hitched, as well as doing it later in life. Worldwide, people living in industrialized countries tend to marry later in life; those in poorer countries tend to marry at an earlier age – often being forced into marriage or in an attempt to escape poverty.

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