Certainly the figures bear this out. Some 56 per cent of men and 53 per cent of women over the age of 16 in England and Wales are married and about 300,000 people get married every year. Even the divorce statistics mask a positive story. After all, it's easier than ever to end a marriage - and yet 60 per cent of marriages work. Not only that, but the vast majority of people who divorce still choose to re-marry.
People marry for all sorts of reasons.
For most, it is because they are in love and want to share the rest of their lives with their partner. People don't often take time out to talk to each other about their relationship, never mind publicly. Many newlyweds are surprised how marriage changes the way other people see them. We seem to be seen as a socially acceptable unit now, which carries with it a perception of solidity. It reflected where I was and made people's perceptions and our reality merge.