Beyonce Knowles: I was determined to wait before marrying Jay-Z

Beyonce Knowles has said she was adamant about waiting to marry Jay-Z, even though she knew he was the one for her.

The former Destiny’s Child star told Seventeen magazine recently: “I was 18 when we first met, 19 when we first started dating.

“[But] I really don’t believe that you will love the same thing when you’re 20 as you do at 30. So that was my rule: Before the age of 25, I would never get married.”

The couple finally married in April this year in a secret ceremony at Jay-Z’s New York home but refused to discuss - even just to confirm - their nuptials to start with.

However the 27 year old told Oprah Winfrey yesterday that keeping it private was harder than she thought: “It was very private, and I can say outside it was paparazzi and it was madness, and inside it was really beautiful.

“I had to really learn how to have boundaries and how to have balance. It’s something that I have never really talked about, and I still feel like it was difficult - and it still is - because I’m so excited about it.

“But it’s important that I keep things that are pure and real in perspective and I keep it separate from my performance life.

“I don’t care if you’re picture-perfect on every magazine cover, and you’re the most handsome, successful, coolest guy. You still get sad, and you still get your feelings hurt, and you still get confused and vulnerable and nervous and scared. You have to find a person you can make it through the tough times with.”