Avram, I agree on either-or, we obviously deal with the legal side, I was just stressing the other part that describes social norms, etza tova, important focus in life, etc.
I am in no way advocating doing this now, and as the tosfos helpfully referred to by am.yeshivish says – we change the norms according to social conditions. Similarly, during gemora times there were different recommended ages for boys in EY and Bavel depending on ability to travel to learn after the marriage