A date with Sarah-Kate; Kate’s home truths

Sarah-Kate gives her magic formula to marriage

The Ginger and I recently made it to 27 years of wedded bliss, but if anyone asked me the secret to a long and happy marriage, I’m not sure I’d know what to say.

Better off asking Pamela Anderson. She must know what she’s talking about – she’s been married five times, twice to the same guy, and most recently to a producer she first dated more than three decades ago. The marriage lasted 12 days. So I think we can assume she knows what doesn’t work.

Personally I’d have been suspicious about a groom-tobe who declared publicly: “There are beautiful girls everywhere. I could have my pick. But – for 35 years – I’ve only wanted Pamela.”

So much wrong with that. But as one of their publicists trumpeted at the time, it was a true Hollywood romance.

Yep, those celebs sure can manage a quick turnaround on the nuptial front. Britney lasted two days when she married a childhood pal a few years back, wearing ripped jeans, I might add. I guess one bit of advice would be if you’re going to get married, even for a second, at the very least get a glam frock out of it.

Nicolas Cage made it to four days before remembering that he was too boozed to have known what he was doing. And that was after his marriage to Lisa Marie Presley which lasted three months.

In fact, maybe Nicolas Cage and Pamela Anderson should get hitched. It would be kinda fun seeing if they can make it to a full 24 hours.

I blame the Gambling Capital of the World in Nevada’s Mojave Desert. Anyone who watched the Friends two-parter, TheOne inVegas, knows that you hoe into the mini-bar enough in that neck of the woods and you’re going to get hitched.

There’s a lot to be said for only having 20 minutes to prepare your vows and having an Elvis impersonator officiate. But nothing about it screams long term.

Although no doubt many Vegas marriages do last the distance because it’s not getting wed that makes a union last, it’s being compatible in the first place. And every now and then someone you meet in a bar or at the pokie machine, even if you’re both blind drunk, might turn out to be your soulmate when (if) you sober up.

So, I would say the most helpful advice I could offer in the journey towards a diamond anniversary is to make sure you are entertained by your partner more than you are annoyed.

Get to 60/40 and you’re probably going to be OK – 50/50 and it’s 50/50 because on a bad day it could be 49/51 and then the urge to push them in front of a fast-moving lorry might get the better of you.

Having said that, just hold off on that urge for, say, 12 days and if it’s still there, go back to your vows and see if either of you kept any of them. If it’s not, I’m pretty sure even the best marriages go through a “soldier on” phase, so soldier on!