We Married Young & Are Still Traveling the World

On New Year’s Eve in 2013, I was lying across the bed of a Paris hotel room, fighting a losing battle with jet lag after the first transatlantic flight of my life.

As it would happen, that was the same time that a blogger went randomly, stupendously viral with a post entitled “23 Things to Do Instead of Get Engaged by 23”.

The article was aimed at convincing people not to settle down young, because it will cause them to miss out on adventures–particularly travel adventures. I will never forget it, mostly because of when and where I was in my life at the time that post made its way across my Facebook newsfeed.

Not only was I in Paris for New Year’s, but Jeremy and I were newlyweds–it had been 6 months since we said our vows.

I was 23 years old at the time.

kate storm and jeremy storm in front of volcan de acatenango as a volcano erupts in the background

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

The fact that Jeremy and I walked down the aisle at only 21 and 22 years old is not something that I discuss frequently on this blog, or have ever really opened up about publicly.

There’s a simple reason for that: when writing about their decision to get married young, people are inherently inviting one of two criticisms.

If they’ve been married less than twenty years, it’s “Well, you may be happy now, but you’re so young/you don’t have kids/the kids are young… just wait until insert next step here happens!”. If they’ve been married more than twenty years, it’s “Well, that may have worked for you, but times were different then.”

READ NEXT
How Our 6 Month Round The World Trip Changed Our Lives (+ Tips!)

Clearly, Jeremy and I fall into the first category, and will for many years to come.

There’s simply no way to avoid criticism when talking about a life choice as deeply personal and profoundly consequential as marriage. If I waited, and published this piece in three, six, eight years–it wouldn’t matter. The criticism, silent or spoken, would still be there.

Selfie of Kate Storm and Jeremy Storm on Lover's Bridge in Annecy, one of the best places to visit in Annecy

While this blog is not about our marriage, our love story and our life together color every behind the scenes moment, every travel narrative, and every experience. Getting married when we did was one of the best decisions that we have made in life. I may not be talking about it, but it’s always there, and I feel compelled to mention our marriage now for two reasons.

First, people on the road are ridiculously curious about it–after political topics, it’s our most frequent group of questions (“You’re married?! How long have you been married? You’re too young to be married! Do you have children? Why not? Are you on your honeymoon?” … to name a few). It seems silly to refuse to acknowledge something that ignites so much curiosity.

Second, I have been irritated by one too many people recently insinuating that a wedding band is a barrier to travel.

READ NEXT
How Following My Travel Dreams Changed My Life

I am as confused by this notion now as I was a few years ago, chuckling to myself about the irony of being told that getting engaged would keep me from living my dreams… while for Jeremy and I, after getting married was when we started to really live our travel dreams for the first time.

Debt is a barrier to travel. Necessary jobs are barriers to travel. Fear is a barrier to travel. Children can be barriers to travel (though there are plenty of nomadic families out there). Illness is a barrier to travel.

Marriage? Marriage is not a barrier to travel.

Nassau, Bahamas
Enjoying our honeymoon in the Bahamas–it marked the first time that either of us left the USA!

In fact, being married has opened Jeremy and I up to more adventure than we ever thought possible–and ultimately, it was the stability of our marriage that gave us the courage to take this leap into travel.

The benefits of solo travel are documented everywhere you look on the internet, and I’m not disputing them. But for us, part of the value of our travels comes from experiencing them together. We crave the chance to travel together, not just because it’s “what couples do” but because it is more fun to be together.

Not everyone needs to do it like us–certainly, unmarried couples travel together all the time, as do singles/families/friends/groups of all types.

READ NEXT
33 Weirdly Specific Things We’ve Learned in 3 Years of Traveling the World

But if you are married–especially if you married young, especially if you get the same tilted head and “Why?” that we do when you mention your married status–do not let anyone tell you that you can’t travel because of that.

Do not let anyone tell you that now that you’re married, you “have” to “settle down”. You “have” to buy a house. You “have” to start thinking about kids.

Do not let anyone tell you that getting married means that your days of adventure are behind you, or that your marriage license means that you are now past the point in your life where it’s acceptable to be more interested in collecting passport stamps than home furnishings.

Kate and Jeremy Storm standing on the edge of a Mayan pyramid in Becan Mexico, facing each other

It’s all bullshit, really. Those things are all wonderful for those who want them at the time, but don’t make the mistake of believing that your marriage license is a contract with society to enter a new phase of life.

It isn’t.

Your marriage license is, at the end of the day and stated in the most unromantic terms possible, a legal contract bestowing rights and privileges between you and your spouse. No more, no less.

The love makes the marriage, of course–but love can exist anywhere, even if that means you’re 26 and married and backpacking through Central America instead of climbing the corporate ladder.

READ NEXT
10 Things We've Learned About Love As A Full-Time Travel Couple

Just a couple of generations ago, it was more common to get married young in the United States. That had its own set of issues (and marrying young has its own set of risks), so this is not a harkening for a return to the “good old days”, but there is no doubt that the rising age of marriage has caused our culture to re-categorize the point of it.

Once upon a fairly recent time, marriage is what you did when you wanted to start your life: you picked the person you wanted your life to be with and built it together.

Now, all too often, marriage is displayed as the final “checkmate” move on a chessboard, the keystone to an arch: it’s something done at the end of your coming of age, after you’ve already had the adventures and done the traveling and saved up the money for the downpayment.

Morocco

Jeremy and I don’t think of marriage that way. You don’t have to, either.

Engaged or married and still want to travel? Want to start a business, or change careers, or go back to school, or live on a beach for 6 months and become an amazing scuba diver?

Go do it. Fuck the rules.

The only real rules are between you and your spouse.

Layover in Cairo: Couple with Great Pyramid

Planning a trip?

Subscribe to our newsletter to follow along with our travels and to receive tips and new content via email!

    We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    About Kate Storm
    Image of the author, Kate Storm

    In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

    18 thoughts on “We Married Young & Are Still Traveling the World”

    1. As you rightly said, doesn’t matter married single or married, if you have the passion you travel. And of course travel is one of the best way to make the couple’s bonding stronger and stronger.

      Reply
    2. Great post! I was perpetually single until recently, and I wrote a post a while ago about leaving my boyfriend to travel- but the difference was that he didn’t want the life I did, and didn’t support me. If you find someone who wants to travel the world with you, what’s the problem? There’s a difference between settling down and “settling down”.

      Reply
      • That’s absolutely true–there is more than one version of settling down. Finding someone who wants the same life that you do is so important!

        Reply
    3. Me and my husband got married at 19 and 21. The more experiences you have together the better chance you have of making it work. Learning how a person thinks and acts will come in time but the more you do togather the better it becomes. We picked to do things the other way round. Kids first and travel later. Looking forward to reading more about your travels.

      Reply
      • Building experiences together is so important–each one adds so much value and depth. Looking forward to having you around, Gail! 🙂

        Reply
    4. I couldn’t agree more! My husband and I got married three years ago and have had SO many amazing adventures since then. Making incredible travel memories together has actually strengthened our relationship 🙂

      Reply
      • Travel adventures are some of the best relationship glue, in my opinion! Happy 3 years–hope you guys continue exploring everything you can find! 🙂

        Reply
    5. OMG! I love your post! It speaks truth and gives me confident for my marriage! I’m 20 and he proposed since I was 17. However, my family disapproves because “you are too young”, “you have your whole life ahead of you”, “why settle down so early?”, “you havent dated enough people to know if hes the one”. A bunch of bullshit. However, we intend to travel together and start our adventure! thank you so much! I was clapping all the way lol. love, sas.

      Reply
      • Aw, thank you! It’s definitely not for everyone, but when it works, it works. Good luck with your marriage! It’s cliche, but I always tell people to just make sure you guys are always each other’s safe harbor, biggest cheerleader, and best teammate. <3

        Reply
    6. Just found your blog and am really enjoying it. My husband and I married at 23. We are now 51 and couldn’t be happier. Things were no different then. Neither of us had left the USA prior to getting married, but since then we have had adventures in all 50 states and on all 7 continents (well almost, Antarctica trip cancelled in 2020 but rescheduled for 2021!) Along the way we also managed to buy a house, have 3 kids, and successful careers. That whole thing about “don’t settle down too early” is bullshit.

      Reply
      • Thank you, Lynn! Sounds like you also have a wonderful life. 🙂 It’s been a few years since I originally wrote this post, we’re coming up on 8 years of marriage this summer–the time just flies. Hope that Antarctica trip goes smoothly this year–7 continents is quite the achievement! 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a Comment