Practicing in Family Law has led me to admire those, like my parents, who have been in long-term and extremely stable marriages. I recall at a friend's wedding his father giving him advice on how to have a long and fulfilling marriage. This is probably a speech that is given at every wedding in every corner of the world. However, for those of you who love analytic data and are "number crunchers" we now have cold hard facts about what factors can lead to longer marriages. Randal Olson recently looked at the question of what makes a stable marriage. The seven biggest factors are as follows:
1. How Long Were You Dating
Statistics show that marriages that occurred after the couple had been dating for 3 years or longer resulted in a much more stable marriage. This factor is not surprising, however, those jumping on a plane to go tie the knot in Las Vegas before a priest named Elvis, ought to think twice.
2. Dollar Dollar Bills
Love is all we need. Not really. In fact, the more money you and your partner make, the less likely you are to get divorced. In fact, couples with an annual household income of $125,000.00 or more are 51% less likely to get divorced.
3. Church
Marriages hit the rocks? Maybe it is because you have not gone to church. In fact, couples who never go to church are two-times more likely to divorce than regular churchgoers.
4. Looks & Money
This one fits right into the stereotype. Men are 1.5 times more likely to end up divorced when they care more about their partner's looks. Women are 1.6 times more likely to hire a fellow like myself when they care more about a partners wealth.
5. Size Matters
Wedding size that is. Couples who elope are 12.5 times more likely to end up divorced than couples who get married at a wedding of more than 200 people.
6. Vera Wang Dress, Tom Ford Shoes & a Lobster Dinner
The more you spend on your wedding, the more likely you are to end up spending money on a Family Law Lawyer. People who spend over $20,000.00 are 46% more likely to get divorced than those who spend between $5,000.00 and $10,000.00.
7. Go to Bali
People who went on a Honeymoon are 41% less likely to get divorced than those who did not go on a Honeymoon.
1. How Long Were You Dating
Statistics show that marriages that occurred after the couple had been dating for 3 years or longer resulted in a much more stable marriage. This factor is not surprising, however, those jumping on a plane to go tie the knot in Las Vegas before a priest named Elvis, ought to think twice.
2. Dollar Dollar Bills
Love is all we need. Not really. In fact, the more money you and your partner make, the less likely you are to get divorced. In fact, couples with an annual household income of $125,000.00 or more are 51% less likely to get divorced.
3. Church
Marriages hit the rocks? Maybe it is because you have not gone to church. In fact, couples who never go to church are two-times more likely to divorce than regular churchgoers.
4. Looks & Money
This one fits right into the stereotype. Men are 1.5 times more likely to end up divorced when they care more about their partner's looks. Women are 1.6 times more likely to hire a fellow like myself when they care more about a partners wealth.
5. Size Matters
Wedding size that is. Couples who elope are 12.5 times more likely to end up divorced than couples who get married at a wedding of more than 200 people.
6. Vera Wang Dress, Tom Ford Shoes & a Lobster Dinner
The more you spend on your wedding, the more likely you are to end up spending money on a Family Law Lawyer. People who spend over $20,000.00 are 46% more likely to get divorced than those who spend between $5,000.00 and $10,000.00.
7. Go to Bali
People who went on a Honeymoon are 41% less likely to get divorced than those who did not go on a Honeymoon.