Virginity is a tough thing to look at...
A virgin can be seen as someone dedicated to giving their all to someone that they cherish and will cherish them back. It can be seen as someone that is serious about relationships and love.
Someone that has had sex before could very well be someone that see's sex as something casual OR they can simply be someone that trusted once, or twice, or thrice and was betrayed. Now no longer a virgin they are seen as "dirtied". However, that is not the case. So while many of us think virginity as a pure/dirty label, it is really about feelings and commitment.
Why wait till after marriage? Because who gets married just to divorce? Divorce is a tedious process and sometimes expensive even at its cheapest. So if wait till you marry, you can most of the time trust them. Afterall, every relationship is about trust.
aloneforever, stick to your principles and ideals. Continue to wait till marriage to make love (not "sex"). The right man won't mind the wait one bit. Toss that virginity label away. It's your commitment and dedication that counts.