I don't believe I would feel more of a sense of commitment, because I don't think we can get any more committed to each other than we are. At seventeen we were already saying things like, 'When we get married'. We're the real deal, true love, that once-in-a-lifetime type thing. I don't think I would value him more either, simply because he is my best friend and my other half. I think sex would explore our relationship in deeper and more intimate ways, and it would change a little bit...like, we'd have that special connection that we're waiting for, but nothing drastic, in my opinion. And as to your question on why people wait, Jane said it all in her post:

"From a religious/personal belief standpoint, it's about saving yourself for someone else. It's a sign that you really love someone that you're only willing to allow that one person to explore your body through intercourse. People wait for marriage because marriage isn't supposed to be temporary, it's supposed to be a permanent status of your relationship, and you're supposed to "complete" the marriage by giving your bodies to one another. It's a sign of your love and committment to one another."

^^ That is exactly it. While I physically and mentally feel ready, he does not because he was raised to only be with one person. Although we both know we don't want anyone else and we're going to get married, we want it to be special. And for him, that means after marriage. It doesn't matter to me how long we wait, it could be tomorrow or in five years and it would still make no difference. We love each other completely, and we don't need to sleep with each other to prove it. When it is time, when we are spiritually one in God's eyes, then it is something we can share with each other. I'm very serious about it...I waited sixteen years for my very first French kiss. I wanted it to be special. If I can wait sixteen years for a kiss, I'm going to be pretty serious about sex

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