History Main / MarriedTooYoung

* ''Manga/{{Oishinbo}}'' has an inversion where a couple's relationship becomes problematic because they married too ''old'', and as a result their personal habits and lifestyle are too ingrained in their life to compromise when it clashes with their other half's, and they get into a bitter fight over how to cook clam shells.

* ''Manga/{{Oishinbp}}'' has an inversion where a couple's relationship becomes problematic because they married too ''old'', and as a result their personal habits and lifestyle are too ingrained in their life to compromise when it clashes with their other half's, and they get into a bitter fight over how to cook clam shells.

Once upon a time, it was relatively commonplace[[note]]Contrary to popular belief, most people in the past were married in their 20s[[/note]] for people to marry in their early twenties or even as young as their teens. In a time where life expectancies were low (due to high child death rates and generally poor medical care) and many mothers [[DeathByChildbirth died during childbirth]], getting married while they were young and fertile was the best option for many adults.

* Exaggerated in ''WesternAnimation/BigMouth'', where Devin and Devon get married at ''thirteen'', despite characters frequently pointing out how disturbing this child marriage is. Devin seems to only be doing it for clout and power in the relationship (as she is the school's AlphaBitch and an AttentionWhore), admitting she's likely to leave him before high school. They soon start experiencing problems when Devon gets sick of her bratty attitude and divorces her, though [[spoiler:they renew their vows by the end of Season 5]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'': Subverting this is one of the plot points. Barely eighteen-year-old Anna meets twenty-three-year-old Hans and [[FourthDateMarriage they decide within a few hours of meeting to get married]]. Everyone else believes this to be a terrible idea, especially since they only just met. They end up calling off the engagement [[spoiler:once [[PrinceCharmless Hans' true nature]] comes out and he reveals he was just using Anna to get access to the Arendelle throne]].

* ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'': Topanga's parents admit they married too young when they reveal they're divorcing each other, having lost the spark they have as HighschoolSweethearts. This becomes a worry for Cory and Topanga who likewise are barely out of high school when they decided to tie the knot and fear they'll end up the same way. But Feeny's own upcoming marriage, a man long past his prime, convince them they can make it work long as they continue to put effort into it.

* ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'': Topanga's parents admit they married too young when they reveal they're divorcing each other, having lost the spark they have as HighschooSweethearts. This becomes a worry for Cory and Topanga who likewise are barely out of high school when they decided to tie the knot and fear they'll end up the same way. But Feeny's own upcoming marriage, a man long past his prime, convince them they can make it work long as they continue to put effort into it.

Once upon a time, it was relatively commonplace[[note]]Contrary to popular belief, most people in the past were married in their 20s[[/note]] for people to marry in their early twenties or even as young as their teens. In a time where life expectancies were low (due to high child death rates) and many mothers [[DeathByChildbirth died during childbirth]], getting married while they were young and fertile was the best option for many adults.

* The [[AllThereInTheManual art book]] to ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'' explains that this is why Jim's dad ran off. He married the then-seventeen-year-old Sarah when he was nineteen. Sarah ended up pregnant not soon afterwards, but he ended up feeling confined in his marriage as he wasn't ready for a wife and children yet. Despite Jim trying to please his dad, he was [[WellDoneSonGuy very distant]] towards Jim. One day when Jim was eight he ran off for good. Jim hoped for years that he'd come back home, however he ultimately realized that his dad was gone for good. This led to Jim becoming a bitter and angry teenager, especially at himself for not being good enough for his dad.

* ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'' spoofs the cliched romance between the teenaged Kirito and Asuna by portraying them as two kids in way over their heads, doing what they think adults are "supposed" to do in a sexual relationship. The episode in which they marry involves a MasochismTango where each one tries to heap more and more responsibility onto the relationship (adopting a child, then attempting to adopt two, then three, then an entire orphanage) to force the other to back out. They finally talk things out at the end of the episode after witnessing the death of their "daughter" and agree that while their marriage was the worst mistake they've ever made, they want to stay together as they genuinely enjoy each other's company.

* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' has this for Beth and Jerry, with the added complication that they married shortly after Jerry got Beth pregnant. Fast forward 17 years, and they have a ''very'' strained relationship that teeters on a divorce every so often.

''[{{Beat}}]''\\

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* ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'' spoofs the cliched romance between the teenaged Kirito and Asuna by portraying them as two kids in way over their heads, doing what they think adults are "supposed" to do in a sexual relationship. The episode in which they marry involves a MasochismTango where each one tries to heap more and more responsibility onto the relationship (adopting a child, then attempting to adopt two, then three, then an entire orphanage) to force the other to back out. They finally talk things out at the end of the episode after witnessing the death of their "daughter" and agree that while their marriage was the worst mistake they've ever made, they want to stay together as they genuinely enjoy each other's company.
* In the ''Pokemon'' fic ''Fanfic/{{Mended}}'', Ash's biological father is [[LukeIAmYourFather Professor Oak]]. The man he thought was his father ran off before he was even conceived. Will and Delia married young and after only dating for six weeks, but Will was only dating Delia as a rebound. When his ex asked to get back together, Will ran off and he hasn't been heard from since.
* Bowser in ''Fanfic/MarriedToTheKoopaKing'' married his ex Clawdia in his mid-teens. Their marriage fell apart because it was based more on teenage lust than love. Bowser was in love with his childhood crush, Peach, which left Clawdia jealous. She faked her death and ran off not soon after Junior was hatched, leaving Bowser alone with their eight kids

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* The [[AllThereInTheManual art book]] to ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'' explains that this is why Jim's dad ran off. He married the then-seventeen-year-old Sarah when he was nineteen. Sarah ended up pregnant not soon afterwards, but he ended up feeling confined in his marriage as he wasn't ready for a wife and children yet. Despite Jim trying to please his dad, he was [[WellDoneSonGuy very distant]] towards Jim. One day when Jim was eight he ran off for good. Jim hoped for years that he'd come back home however he ultimately realized that his dad was gone for good. This led to Jim becoming a bitter and angry teenager, especially at himself for not being good enough for his dad.
* ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'': Subverting this is one of the plot points. Barely eighteen-year-old Anna meets twenty-three-year-old Hans and [[FourthDateMarriage they decide within a few hours of meeting to get married]]. Everyone else believes this to be a terrible idea, especially since they only just met. They end up calling off the engagement [[spoiler:once [[PrinceCharmless Hans' true nature]] comes out and he reveals he was just using Anna to get access to the Arendelle throne]].

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* In ''Film/TheCrowd'', John falls head-over-heels for Mary within minutes of meeting her. Mary is less interested. Eventually, they do fall in love and do get married, however, their relationship is haunted by frequent bickering and unhappiness.
* In ''{{Film/Control}}'', a {{biopic}} of Music/JoyDivision's Ian Curtis mentioned in the Music folder, Ian and Debbie date as teenagers, and get married only a couple years out of school. They’re happily married at first, but then the birth of their daughter, Music/JoyDivision taking off, Ian meeting another woman, and his health problems strain the marriage. [[spoiler: They begin divorce proceedings, but Ian hangs himself before they go through the court.]] Sadly, the events in this film are very much BasedOnATrueStory.

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* Olivia Vandergriff from ''Literature/TheOverstory'' gets impulsively married in college, and divorces very quickly when she realizes how bad an idea it was.

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* Invoked in ''Series/HowIMetYourMother''. In "Slap Bet", Robin "admits" to having a husband that she married at a young age and later separated from after things didn't work out between them. [[ItMakesSenseInContext It turns out that that was a lie to cover up her real secret: she was actually a teenage pop star in Canada.]]

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-->''Got married on my twenty-first, eight months before my wife would give birth''.
-->''It's easier to be sure you love someone when her father inquires with the barrel of a gun''.
-->''The union was far from harmonious. No two people could've been more alone than us''.
-->''The years would go by and she'd love someone else, and I'd realize I hadn't been loved yet myself''.

* Similar to Gene Eugene above, Music/JoyDivision's Ian Curtis married his wife Deborah Woodruff at the age of 19. He felt constrained as the band's career started to take off and the couple grew apart, which is one of the factors in his suicide.
* Despite others protesting that they were incompatible, HighSchoolSweethearts Brenda and Eddie from Music/BillyJoel's "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" married sometime after high school. They divorced not too long afterwards.
* The woman in Music/RebaMcEntire's "Is There Life Out There" married at 20 and wonders if that was too young. She doesn't regret it enough to leave her family now, but she's not sure she would make the same choice if she could do it over.

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* ''VideoGame/YesYourGrace'': Lorsulia's ArrangedMarriage happens when she's thirteen. While it's implied that women are considered eligible starting that age, it's also a plot point that Lorsulia's father would have taken more time to find her a good husband if he hadn't been in a hurry to form a military alliance. A few months into the marriage, it turns out that [[spoiler:Lorsulia's new husband is abusive.]]

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* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/{{Jem}}''. One episode had it appear as if Kimber, who is still a teen, was going to marry one of her boyfriends. Jerrica thought it was foolish and rushed, but decided to support her sister anyway. In the end, though, Kimber broke off the wedding [[RunawayBride while at the altar]].

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This type of marriage can end up in multiple ways. The couple can end up staying in a strained marriage, work things out after a trouble spot (or three), other times they get divorced, and often times the father simply [[DisappearedDad runs off]]. This also occurs [[MissingMom with mothers]], however, it's more common for the dad. In some instances, the couple is still happy together, but it doesn’t erase the regret of lost youth.

This type of marriage can end up in multiple ways. The couple can end up staying in a strained marriage, work things out after a trouble spot (or three), other times they get divorced, and often times the father simply [[DisappearedDad runs off]]. This also occurs [[MissingMom with mothers]], however, it's more common for the dad.

Within the last 100 years or so, however, this has fallen by the wayside, especially in western countries. The need to get married as soon as possible is no longer an issue for most people. Courtship periods typically last years before an engagement occurs. If anything, getting married too young is seen as rash or a waste of youth. People are expected to have a few years of freedom and self-discovery before being tied into a committed marriage.

This trope is what happens when characters get married young, [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome however it doesn't turn out as they had hoped]]. Maybe two teens feel they're meant for each other and marry as soon as legally possible. A few years after marriage, however, they realize that wasn't such a good idea. They thought they were the perfect couple, but it was just young love and they ultimately grew apart. Or maybe, they feel constrained by their marriage and want to go out and live their lives. It's even more troublesome when a child is involved. Maybe they aren't ready for kids or didn't even ''want'' kids.

This trope is what happens when characters get married young, [[RealityEnsues however it doesn't turn out as they had hoped]]. Maybe two teens feel they're meant for each other and marry as soon as legally possible. A few years after marriage, however, they realize that wasn't such a good idea. They thought they were the perfect couple, but it was just young love and they ultimately grew apart. Or maybe, they feel constrained by their marriage and want to go out and live their lives. It's even more troublesome when a child is involved. Maybe they aren't ready for kids or didn't even ''want'' kids.

* ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'': Subverting this is one of the plot points. Barely eighteen-year-old Anna meets twenty-three-year-old Hans and [[FourthDateMarriage they decide within a few hours of meeting to get married]]. Everyone else believes this to be a terrible idea, especially since they only just met. They end up calling off the engagement [[spoiler:once Hans' true nature comes out and he reveals he was just using Anna to get access to the Arendelle throne]].

* ''Literature/TheTenantOfWildfellHall'': Helen Lawrence marries BadBoy Arthur Huntington believing she can redeem him though ThePowerOfLove. She quickly learns that she cannot and suffers through a miserable marriage for several years. She finally runs away when he threatens to corrupt their young son.

* Nick Hurley from ''Film/{{Flashdance}}'' exploited the AllGirlsWantBadBoys allure to latch onto a rich heiress, and rise from the WrongSideOfTheTracks to a construction mogul. However, Nick never felt comfortable with the ''hoi polloi'', and he has divorced Kate years ago. This almost derailed his romance with protagonist Alex Owens when Alex saw Nick with Kate at an opera gala. Nick later explained that this rendezvous was just making nice-nice with his ex since both are members of the Pittsburgh Arts Council.

->'''Kirito:''' Hey, do you think getting married was the worst mistake of our lives?
->''[{{Beat}}]''
->'''Asuna:''' W-W-What do you mean? Don't you wanna be married to me? I wanna be married to ''you!'' DON'T YOU LOVE ME?!?!?
->'''Kirito:''' No! I mean, yes! I mean--
->'''Left-Brain!Asuna:''' What the fu... ''What the hell are you doing?!'' THAT WAS OUR OUT!!
->'''Right-Brain!Asuna:''' I dunno, I panicked!

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* Subverting this is one of the plot points in ''Disney/{{Frozen}}''. Barely eighteen-year-old Anna meets twenty-three-year-old Hans and [[FourthDateMarriage they decide within a few hours of meeting to get married]]. Everyone else believes this to be a terrible idea, especially since they only just met. They end up calling off the engagement [[spoiler:once Hans' true nature comes out and he reveals he was just using Anna to get access to the Arendelle throne]].

This type of marriage can end up in multiple ways. The couple can end up staying in a strained marriage, work things out after a trouble spot (or three) other times they get divorced and often times the father simply [[DisappearedDad runs off]]. This also occurs [[MissingMom with mothers]], however, it's more common for the dad.

Often leads to TeenPregnancy. Also see ShotgunWedding, FourthDateMarriage, AwfulWeddedLife, DeadSparks, StarterMarriage, and HighSchoolSweethearts where it actually does work out. Contrast with OneTrueLove and FirstGirlWins.

* Olivia Vandergriff from ''Literature/TheOverstory'' gets impulsively married in college, and divorces very quickly when she realizes how bad of an idea it was.