Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X & Boomers Have Very Different Ideas Of What A Good Marriage Looks Like
Dmytro Zinkevych | Shutterstock Across many generations, household expectations and relationship styles are changing.
So, once-traditional timelines and expectations for marriage are in need of a shift. Many Gen Zers have already crafted their new normal, but for older generations, they all have different ideas of what a good marriage looks like, too. Broad strokes across generations won't always be entirely accurate, but there are collective trends that ring true.
What a good marriage looks like, according to each generation
Boomers seek fulfillment in marriage and often follow traditional timelines
Many baby boomers were pressured to settle down early in their lives. They were told to find a soulmate, which set the tone for their entire adult lives.
Their 20s were for finding a partner who could help build a sense of financial stability, and marriage was the vehicle to do so.
JLco Julia Amaral | Shutterstock
This early adoption of marriage and expectations to build their lives around a long-term relationship are partially responsible for rising divorce rates amongst boomers. They're traditionalists, just as their parents instilled in them.
And while not all of these relationships worked out early in their lives, stability and fulfillment from a good marriage was always the goal.
Gen X takes a more practical approach to marriage, with stability at the forefront
Witnessing potential divorces and their own parents' struggles, Gen Xers take a more practical, skeptical approach to marriage.
They're focused on building routines and stability with a partner. And that's often why they choose to live together before immediately settling down. They're probably the first generation to go against boomers, who married and then lived together, following a more traditional union.
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock
They don't seek out the perfect romantic partner or a soulmate story in marriage. Instead, Gen Xers focus on stability, just like they tend to do in all other aspects of their lives.
Millennials are waiting until later in life for marriage, driven by equality and emotional intimacy
Many millennials still crave stability, but above all else, they want equality. They're asking much more of romantic partners and marriages before settling down.
It's part of why the average age of a millennial marriage is much later than their boomer and Gen X counterparts. The average age for millennials to get married is around 30 years old, compared to around 23 years old for older folks.
Polina Tankilevitch | Pexels
Millennials want the emotional intimacy from partners at home and a sense of equality around household labor and childcare, as well as work.
They're not necessarily trying to build their adult lives from marriage, but they're hinting at finding stability, with or without a partner, before making that commitment.
Gen Z considers marriage an achievement after attaining stability themselves
According to clinical psychologist and relationship expert John Gottman, marriage is a capstone experience for many Gen Zers, rather than a cornerstone of their lives.
They'd much prefer to invest in personal experiences and happiness in their lives before settling down with a partner. For them, they're going against older generations who lived the other way around.
Zamrznuti tonovi | Shutterstock
They're adopting less traditional relationship styles and pushing their desired age for marriage off by decades. They're focusing on building a sense of personal and financial stability before marriage.
They want to bring someone into an already full life, not necessarily build one around a soulmate or life-long partner.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
