Life
How long did it take you to find your one, true love? If you're anything like me, you had to date a string of losers before you got it right. If you're one of these women who married their first love, though, you may have figured some things out a little faster than the rest of us. True, not all of the relationships lasted forever. We're still human. We grow apart, have fights, stop feeling the happiness we once felt. But whether or not it ends with a "happily ever after," one thing is for certain about first loves: they change you like no other relationship can.
Statistics on marriage to first loves are not exactly abundant. One 2014 survey from YouGov UK said that of the roughly 46 percent of British adults who are married, 27 percent have married their first love; and while these marriages are rather uncommon, they seem to work: their data says that when it comes to three factors — "definitely still in love," "have never thought about leaving partner," and "will be with partner until dying day" — people married to their first love (as opposed to their second, third, etc.) come out on top across all three, with 64 percent, 78 percent, and 97 percent agreeing with these factors, respectively. For people who didn't marry their first love, the numbers are 56 percent, 63 percent, and 88 percent respectively.
IllicitEncounters, a British dating site for married people, ran a survey of their own and found that out of a random pool of 1,000 people, 25 percent are still with their first love.
Marrying your first love sounds like a Disney romance; but like any relationship, sometimes it lasts, and sometimes it doesn't. Here's how it went for these 19 women.
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1Building A Foundation As Friends First
Sometimes the best romantic relationships come out of friendships.
2A Different Kind Of Happily Ever After
Divorce doesn't always have to be bad. Sometimes, it's a chance for a fresh start, new beginnings, and a happier life.
3Overcoming A Gap In Experience
Curiosity is normal. Curiosity is human nature. That's something most of us (if not all of us) experience over time.
4The Prom Date That Led To Love
Relationships that start so young have an added challenge, because who really knows who they are at that age? We change a lot over the years, and relationships might feel the strain; but that doesn't make this first love any less special.
5Together In Sickness And In Health
Here are two people who really took their vows to heart. Through thick and thin, this first and everlasting love survives.
6All Relationships Are Valuable, Even When They Aren't Forever
You hit the nail on the head, sister. Even if your first love doesn't stand the test of time, it can still hold a special place in your heart forever.
7Love At First Kiss
Some of us have to kiss a lot of frogs before we find our prince. Not this gal!
8Seeing Red Flags From The Beginning
Some problems get worked out; others grow bigger. Nobody can predict the future, though, so you should enjoy love while it's there.
9No Regrets About Her One And Only
Great question? Why would you trade that?
10Stuck In High School
That's the weak spot in young relationships; not everyone grows up. But this story took a happy turn anyway.
11Changing And Growing As A Person And A Couple
Relationships take time to grow and serious effort to maintain, and you have to learn to roll with the punches. These two seem to be on top of it.
12Every Experience Is A Chance To Learn
It's a wonderful thing when you can look back on a relationship that didn't last and not feel regret; it's imperative to find the good.
13BFFs
Irresistible sexiness is always a plus. This first love started with a sweet kiss, and now these two are on a wonderful adventure together.
14Overcoming Hurtful Obstacles
Even your first love can come with huge hurdles. Hopefully, these two can find a happy and peaceful ending, whatever that may mean.
15Helping Each Other Learn New Things
This is about as good as it gets. Relationships are so wonderful when they help you grow and experience new things. This first (and last) love gets an A+!
16A Different Ending Than You Expected
It might sound like a strange situation, but we all find happiness and fulfillment in different ways. Hopefully her first love still left her with some nice memories.
17No Baggage
Kudos to this gal, who got it right on the first try! That's not easy, but it looks like these two hit the jackpot when they found each other.
18Having To Carry Too Much Weight
It's tough being stuck somewhere in between, where your partner is a good partner, but you also feel like you've done the majority of the work to make it a successful relationship.
19Deciding To Move On
Sometimes you learn a littler quicker that your first love isn't the one, and that's okay. One day, that special person will come along, if that's what you're looking for.
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