There are more older women who have not tied the knot and it may be because they are still waiting for Mr Right.
But is it better to settle with 'Mr Right Now' instead of waiting for 'Mr Right?' Is this good news for hopeful singles looking for a lifetime partner?
Researchers think there might be a reason why some women decide to settle with 'Mr Right Now', even though he may not exactly be the man of their dreams.
Michigan State University published a study earlier this month revealing a basic evolutionary strategy that apparently boils down to taking risks - "settling for Mr Right Now is better than waiting for Mr Right."
According to the Blaze, the study involved using computer organisms that simulate living creatures. The study looked at the prevalence of "risky" mating strategies, in other words waiting for the perfect mate, and "the less risky" mating strategy of settling for the first person that comes along.
The simulation resembled the experience of early man in history, said Chris Adami, MSU professor of microbiology and molecular genetics and co-author of the paper.
"They could either choose to mate with the first, potentially inferior, companion and risk inferior offspring, or they could wait for Mr or Ms Perfect to come around," he said. "If they chose to wait, they risk never mating."
The study emphasised that the key to any risk depends on the group size.
In a bigger community, there will be plenty of good mating options and this means that someone who settles for their first option might get the short end of the deal.
But for those living in small communities, like how our ancestors lived, waiting could lead to nothing.
"An individual might hold out to find the perfect mate but run the risk of coming up empty and leaving no progeny," Adami said. "Settling early for the sure bet gives you an evolutionary advantage, if living in a small group."
Randal Olson, who studied marriage longevity and wedding days, reviewed the MSU study and rendered the study less useful in our modern environment where millions of people live together in one area and the probability of finding a better partner around the corner is higher.
"Conceivably, since we're now evolving in huge populations in an increasingly connected world, it's more likely that 'risky' strategies of waiting for 'Mr Right" are better," Olson told The Blaze.
