The rules of marriage

Marriage is a varying topic, as the so called 'rules' can change depending on religion, tradition, personal preferences, etc. But one thing that always seems to change from person to person is the age that two people should get married at, whether it's just a personal preference or a firm belief that a specific age is most appropriate. However, can a marriage's success really be judged from an age range or how long two people have been dating? Or is it rather merely from the basis of the two peoples characters? I believe the latter. 

Many may believe that if a boy and a girl are dating, and they then go to college, it is best that they wait till they finish college to get married. Reasons for this may be that marriage will put too much distraction on college study, or that one is not ready for the rigors of marriage yet. But why should one's maturity level be judged by their level of education. A poor kid that never went to college can easily be on a much higher maturity level than say a rich kid that recently graduated college. And on the other hand, why should two people's level of intimacy towards each other be judged by the amount of time they have been dating? once again, two people that have been dating for two years can easily be closer than a couple that has been together for five years. And for that couple dating for two years, they may mutually agree that they are ready for marriage while the couple dating for five years may say that marriage is not right for now. 

My sister was dating her boyfriend for maybe four years (more or less) before she got married. This was last year. Her husband is still in college yet they are happily living together with no issues. They were ready for marriage. Also my youngest sister who was again recently married had only been dating her boyfriend for about two years. Her husband is also still in college, but in their minds, they did not need to wait three, four, or five years before they could marry. They made the decision when they felt they were ready, and that was after around two years. 

I think the time of someone's marriage should not be limited to the amount of years they have been dating, or a specific age they both need to be. Of course there is a certain age range where people just simply won't be mature enough to handle the hardships of being committed to another person, but that age range can still vary greatly from person to person. Overall, someone should judge their readiness for marriage on their and their partners character rather than concrete time/age restraints.