Be still. Listen closely. Can you hear that? That's the sound of a billion hearts fluttering — or breaking, depending on who you ask — over the lightning-fast celebrity engagements this summer: Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin, and Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson. Both couples happen to be on the younger side. Baldwin is 21 years old, and the others are 24. The best age to get engaged is an ultra-personal choice, and it varies depending on factors ranging from how old you are when you meet your partner, to how ready you feel to take that (huge) next step in your relationship. And, of course, none of this has to happen — it's also totally legit if you don't have any interest in getting engaged or married.
So, while it's true that there's no one "right" or "normal" age to get engaged, your zodiac sign is one way to imagine when a proposal might happen in your life. Let's be clear: It's way more important to pop the question or say yes to the love of your life at the right time for you and your partner, not because the internet told you that it's time to get cracking. But as long as we all know this is just for fun... let the engagements begin.
Wait, you're not already engaged? An impulsive, passionate Aries is prone to talking marriage the minute they fall head over heels for the first time. You probably got engaged to your high school sweetheart five minutes into your 18th birthday.
Taurus gals may be traditional and family-oriented, but that doesn't mean you're rushing into anything. No, you prefer to take your time to truly consider all your options — because once you settle down, you're settling down for life. You'll get engaged at 35.
You feel most at home when you're one half of a pair. While Geminis sometimes are pegged as flighty flirts, you're simply social — and you love a regular plus-one to navigate the party scene. You'll get engaged post-college but pre-"more than two glasses of a wine gives me a hangover," which falls around age 25.
You're a total softie who loves love. That's not to say relationships always come easily to you, but you'd rather commit than play the field. The moment your Instagram feed becomes an endless stream of engagements and weddings, you'll be inspired to take the next step in your relationship. You'll wind up engaged at 26.
Sure, you sometimes think about what it'd be like to be engaged, but that's not your top priority at the moment. If you want a shiny ring, you'll buy it yourself; if you want to star in a glamorous photoshoot, you'll do it yourself — no fiancé(e) needed. You'll pull a George Clooney and finally settle down when you feel it's right. (He was 52.)
A rule-following Virgo loves to feel like she's in step with those around her. The average age for a woman to get married for the first time is 27.4 years right now, and the average engagement is 14.5 months... which places an engagement exactly at 26 years and 26 days old. Precise! Don't pretend like that date isn't already marked on your color-coded calendar.
If you've always fantasized about your dream wedding, there's a good reason for that: The sign of Libra represents marriage. You'll get engaged sooner than most of your friends, probably around 24. But be careful about rushing into marriage — it's not uncommon for Libras to tie the knot two or three times over the course of their lives.
Tradition makes you wrinkle your nose — you like to go your own way. So, you might not even have the typical proposal down on one knee; it's more likely that one day, you'll wake up at 47 next to your partner of a decade or two and say, "Hey, what do you think about getting married?" (They'll say yes, because who can resist you?)
You value your independence and freedom above all else, which is why it makes sense for you to get engaged later than most of your friends. You'll be 38 and steady in your decision. You'll know when you meet the right person because combining your lives won't feel like a sacrifice at all.
Practical Capricorn will opt to get engaged at age 30, right after checking off a couple other casual items on your to-do list (open a joint checking account, research pre-nups, get a fresh gel manicure). You know your brain doesn't fully mature until you hit 25, and you feel extra-confident in your decision to get engaged now that you've had five additional years to settle into your all-grown-up groove.
You're not too fussed about what everyone else is doing — you just know that someday, the moment will feel exactly right to get engaged. That day might come when you're 32, possibly after you and your partner take the most gorgeous vacation together. When you know, you know... you know?
A true romantic through and through, you secretly love the idea of getting engaged on the younger, side, tying the knot soon after, and spending the rest of your life growing old with your favorite person on the planet. You'll get engaged at 22 and it'll feel like a dream.
Check out the entire Gen Why series and other videos on Facebook and the Bustle app across Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.
Check out the “Best of Elite Daily” stream in the Bustle App for more stories just like this!
