Promote Marriage not Weddings

The Mothers’ Union, which commits thousands of volunteers to marriage and relationship support initiatives across the UK each year, is calling for more to be done to support couples in building healthy, lasting relationships.

Contrary to popular belief, and despite significant social changes, marriage is thriving and continues to benefit both the couple and society. Research has shown that married couples are more likely to be happier, healthier and wealthier, and demonstrates marriage to be important to society’s stability and to the well being of individuals and families.

Yet marriage is also viewed as romantic rather than beneficial to couples, families and communities. With the most common time for a marriage to face breakdown now being at around 7 years, and the highest divorce rates amongst the 25-29 year age group, it is apparent more needs to be done to support couples throughout their marriage. This is particularly important when they face life-changing stress points such as having children, or economic hardship.

Nearly 90% of all young people still aspire to marriage. It is still faith-based charities and clergy that provide the majority of marriage preparation and support to a wider spectrum of relationships. It is clear from the increased numbers of single-parent or cohabiting relationships that more must be done at an institutional level to resource and support successful long-term relationships as stable foundations for families and society. “Whilst considerable focus is put on weddings, and on marriage preparation,” said Rosemary Kempsell, World Wide President of the MU, “We believe that more could and should be done to affirm married relationships and provide ongoing support to marriages before they run into problems.”

Government too is placing an increasing burden of taxation and dual working ethic on couples. This leads to greater stresses on marriage and acts as a deterrent to marriage - to the detriment of relationships and society. The MU believes that more could be done by State and Church alike to support couples, both those married in church and those married in civil ceremonies. “We would like to see more investment in supporting and promoting the enormous value of stable relationships.”

To this end we have a MU stall at every Weddings Fayre held in the Portsmouth Diocese.