Marital bliss? That comes long after commitment

Despite the recent horror that was Married at First Sight,a Channel 4 show in which participants tied the knot on television with people they had only just met, it seems that the sanctity of marriage is not dead.

Official figures show that the number of divorce cases has fallen by more than a third in 14 years. Fewer than 110,000 couples began the legal process last year – a huge drop from 172,000 in 2003.

The Ministry of Justice figures show that the number of people going to court to ask a judge to divide their property has also fallen. It seems that people are more aware of the toll that divorce can have on families.

Interestingly, the number of people getting married has only decreased by 10per cent. If you thought that marriage had become unfashionable, then you’d be very much mistaken.

People are more aware of the toll that divorce can have on families

Actually, it’s become something that people take incredibly seriously – and that few people want to rush into. It is thought that with less pressure on young people to wed, the people who do, tend to be more committed. I’m noticing that more and more of my friends in long-term relationships are waiting until they are in their 40s to get hitched. By that point, the pressure to have a lavish wedding has disappeared and nobody expects you to have an over-thetop stag or hen do.

I used to think that, at 33, I was the last of my mates to make it down the aisle. But as friends announce long engagements (my sister got engaged several years ago and has only just chosen her ring), I am realising that I was practically a child bride.

Marriage hasn’t gone away. It’s just that now it’s the end of the journey, rather than the beginning.