Hee hee, I think I know where you're going with this!
I was 22, in school, working full time, and living with my sister.
We weren't dating at all. We hung out in groups in the beginning (his group of friends and my group of friends). We hung out a few times a month, had barbecues, went to dinner/movies, etc. All of us were single, so we would have lots of conversations about marriage and dating and whatnot. I guess it was like our own informal singles ministry in a way.
So for the first six months, it was just the group thing. Then, he asked me if he could call me on the phone, and I said yes, so we started talking on the phone. I only called him if he called me...I never initiated. I don't recommend that for everyone, but that was something I felt strongly about at the time, and something that my dh needed at the time, so it worked for us. We got REALLY close through these conversations. We were like best friends and told each other everything.
In short, it was agony. It felt like waiting for something that you know is yours, but all you can do is look at it because it's not time yet and if you jumped the gun, it could potentially ruin things.
Finally, one night he invited me to his aunt's dinner party. Afterwards, he invited me back to his house to watch the all-star game with his roommate and some others. I hate basketball, but I went anyway.
That was the night. He was walking me to my car and just came out with it. He said he had been praying and that I was his wife and he was in love with me. He said he waited because he wanted to make sure it was God, and it was. He told me to think about it and pray about it and give him my answer when I was ready. I told him I didn't have to think about it because I was in love with him too and had been for awhile now. I told him yes, and that's when we started dating.
Was age a factor? Probably so. Although I did spend a lot of time alone before this. I'm not sure how things would have gone if we had been older, or if I was actively dating the whole time, or if I had had my own place.
But we both knew pretty early on that this was it. It wasn't real deep or anything...he had the qualities I was looking for (and had asked God for), and vice-versa. The hard part was the waiting game. But from start to finish, first meeting to marriage, it all took a little over 2 years, which doesn't seem that long when I look back on it.
Ok, sorry for rambling!