A 96-year-old woman in Quintana Roo, Mexico, has married an 18-year-old man, creating a 78-year age gap, the largest recorded wedding in 2025, according to official statistics. The unnamed bride's marriage was listed in the National Institute of Statistics and Geography's (INEGI) Marriage Statistics (EMAT).
Record-Breaking Age Gap
The wedding in Quintana Roo is being described as the biggest age gap wedding recorded in 2025. That year, Quintana Roo recorded a marriage rate almost three times higher than the national capital, Mexico City — though a higher rate doesn't necessarily mean a greater total number of weddings.
While the groom's age may raise eyebrows, the average age at marriage in Mexico is reported to have risen by 4.1 years for both women and men over the past decade, with 491,640 marriages registered in 2025. Because the records are purely official, little else is known about the couple or the ceremony.
Other Large Age Gaps
Close behind was a separate wedding in Morelia, Michoacán, which fell just short of the largest gap on record. The bride was also 96, while the groom was 19, creating a 77-year difference in age.
Third on the list was a marriage in Xicoténcatl, Tamaulipas, where the age difference ran in the opposite direction: the groom was 90 and the bride 18, a 72-year gap.
Public Attitudes on Age-Gap Relationships
Another age-gap couple recently drew attention online, after a 61-year-old woman spoke about her relationship with a 35-year-old man and the surprising factor she believes holds them together. Sundari, a mother of two sons aged 29 and 33, said she met Maxi at a cacao ceremony.
Sundari and Maxi, both hailing from Argentina, maintain separate homes and typically reunite at weekends, an arrangement that appears to suit them perfectly. She explained: "Plans might come up during the week, but we mostly see each other at the weekends. I like it this way. I like having my own time. I was married and lived with my partner for 20 years. I've never lived with anyone since, and I love having a boyfriend."
She continued: "On Saturdays, Maxi comes round and stays with us until Monday. During the week, we send each other lots of little love messages in the morning and before bed. We're very respectful of each other's time. It's lovely to see each other again at the weekend."
A poll carried out in July among 2,000 adults suggested attitudes are relatively relaxed about age-gap relationships, with 71% saying a large difference in age is fine as long as both partners are on the same page in terms of maturity and life goals. The survey found that most respondents were untroubled by a 10-to-20-year age gap. It also indicated that a sizeable minority actively favour older partners, with one in five saying they would choose to date someone older — 32% of women and 8% of men.
Meanwhile, men showed a stronger preference for younger partners (33 per cent) compared to dating someone their own age. Lee Mason, vice president of Scripted, Disney+ EMEA, commented: "Our research highlights just how complex relationships are, and how easy it is to rely on assumptions until we're faced with real situations. While people may have concerns about age-gap relationships or pass judgement, it's fascinating to see how many would consider being in one and how people are ultimately focused on shared values, life goals and emotional compatibility."
