Finally convinced my boyfriend (M25) to talk about marriage and I cant believe what he said. (M25)

when we first started dating we were both on the same page of wanting to marry 'young'

Sure. And I liked to play video games when I was in my early 20's. In my 30's now, and I could not care less about video games. People change. How he felt about things when he was a teenager aren't relevant now he's older and more mature.

but I'm getting the feeling he doesn’t want to marry ME at all.

Not just you, it seems (like me) that he doesn't feel marriage is a necessity in a relationship. It's a label that holds no value to him, it only complicates things when relationships eventually break. Most relationships don't last forever. And I think most modern marriages end up in divorce.

Me: there’s only two options either you love someone enough to want to marry them or you don’t.

And there's a third: You love someone more than enough, but you don't give a damn about marriage.

Is there anything I can do or say at this point or is it better for me to cut my loses and move on?

If you think marriage is an absolute necessity in life, then you should move on. If he's anything like myself, marriage simply doesn't mean anything except that it's a huge expense which results in... nothing.

But that said, if it's important to you, he should probably just consult a good lawyer to setup a prenup for the likely future divorce (I'm a pessimist by nature), and just let you have what is important to you.

Am I just not the one for him, and he’s stringing me along while he needs me financially and then he’ll find someone new?

Maybe. Not necessarily. You know him better than we do. But don't underestimate the fact that people change. That's how relationships typically shatter into billions of pieces, you expect the person he was 6 years ago, and he has completely new standards and expectations and interests.

Or is he in the right, and 6 years isn’t long enough and we aren’t ready at age 25?

Completely irrelevant. You have different opinions about something. Each POV is important to both of you. In "marriage or not" there is very little middle ground that would satisfy you.

I'd say, by this post, that you're the emotional type that sees marriage as a validation of your life and your relationship. As if it's a necessary next step without being able to explain exactly why it's so important.

Two options:

  1. He changes his mind;
  2. He does not change his mind.

So talk to him about this FACE TO FACE and if he doesn't change his mind you have your answer. Then the only question is whether you can live life not being married to him.

One question: Does not being married change the way you feel about him at all?

/r/relationships Thread