1. I am not sure either way about the age part. I am 5 years older than my wife. it is pretty clear to us where our strengths and weaknesses are, and it works out well. I don't see 10 years as a problem. that said, I can't image dating a 21 year old, myself, but I don't think that your wife has to be your equal in everything, nor do you have to be her equal in everything. if you are more mature, as long as the delta is reasonable, I don't see a problem.
2. not to be pedantic, but can you clarify about the money thing? are we talking a family worth hundreds of millions? or an extremly comfortable family? my wife's family was worth maybe 50 million, at peak, in the 70's. now they are worth a few million, non of which will rub off on me. the single biggest downside of this is that she was raised with ideas of how to live that have taken a long time to change - a vacation is 2-3 months long in a nice hotel, she never did any cooking or chores until college, her mother can buy $5,000 pieces of costume jewlery without thinking about it, etc. she never really knew anybody with a real job, growing up, and it took her a while to understand the concept of my going to work, having limited vacation time, having a limited buget, etc. but she has learned and accepted it all. for the most part, as long as she can live without the money, and you don't want the money, then there is no big issue - is she loves you (in the future) and you are comfortable, she can adjust to the way you live. the big problem comes when you do want something from the family, because you end up torn between peddaling your balls and doing what you want/think is right.
my unkle married a woman with a lot of money - her family started a company that is a household phrase in american comsumption. so he was making $100K, and she was sitting on maybe 10 times that in annual income off the capital. that put him in a very difficutl position, because his total income was pocket change in their household expenses, and it made him into a sort of lapdog. that is another thing, entirely.
2. not to be pedantic, but can you clarify about the money thing? are we talking a family worth hundreds of millions? or an extremly comfortable family? my wife's family was worth maybe 50 million, at peak, in the 70's. now they are worth a few million, non of which will rub off on me. the single biggest downside of this is that she was raised with ideas of how to live that have taken a long time to change - a vacation is 2-3 months long in a nice hotel, she never did any cooking or chores until college, her mother can buy $5,000 pieces of costume jewlery without thinking about it, etc. she never really knew anybody with a real job, growing up, and it took her a while to understand the concept of my going to work, having limited vacation time, having a limited buget, etc. but she has learned and accepted it all. for the most part, as long as she can live without the money, and you don't want the money, then there is no big issue - is she loves you (in the future) and you are comfortable, she can adjust to the way you live. the big problem comes when you do want something from the family, because you end up torn between peddaling your balls and doing what you want/think is right.
my unkle married a woman with a lot of money - her family started a company that is a household phrase in american comsumption. so he was making $100K, and she was sitting on maybe 10 times that in annual income off the capital. that put him in a very difficutl position, because his total income was pocket change in their household expenses, and it made him into a sort of lapdog. that is another thing, entirely.
