Elections matter.

Perhaps one of the most heartening changes brought about by the latest presidential election is the renewed emphasis of the role of healthy marriages in our society. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michele Obama are being hailed not just as our new First Family, but as examples of what we should all strive for in our marital relationships.

 

 

From election night predictions of a national, hope-inspired baby boom to their romantic, exquisite first dances on inauguration night, Barack and Michelle Obama have been lauded for their family values and for embracing the American dream of family first. Apart from the visible model, President Obama also appears to back up his conjugal disposition with legislative ambitions geared to both strengthen and promote marriage.

Just after noon on January 20, 2009, the Obama Administration refreshed the official White House website to include a family agenda that features expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act and reintroduction of the Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Families Act. At about the same time, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families home page was updated to reflect the new president’s intention to continue the ACF mission “to help couples, who have chosen marriage for themselves, gain greater access to marriage education services, on a voluntary basis, where they can acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain a healthy marriage.”

But even our idea of who marries and why has changed over the years.

In August 2001, the American Sociological Review reported that while 90% of American women are predicted to marry at least once in their lifetimes, women who are educated and affluent are marrying more and divorcing less often than their poorer and less-educated counterparts. This “Marriage Gap” is evident when a low-income couple puts off marriage until they can “afford it” despite having children together and a high-income couple sets a wedding date with the idea of starting their family once married.

A majority of young Americans view marriage as a status one builds up to, often through cohabitation first, and definitely after one’s finances are in order. In his November 2004 article in the Journal of Marriage and Family, “The Deinstitutionalization of American Marriage”, Andrew Cherlin explored how the institution of marriage has been weakened by changes in the social norms that define partners’ behavior. He also attempts to answer why so many people still marry or plan to marry when cohabitation and single parenthood are widely acceptable options. The symbolic significance of marriage remains high, but has transformed from a marker of conformity to a marker of prestige.

A 2001 survey by Barbara Whitehead and David Popenoe, titled “The State of Our Unions”, found that over 80% of young women feel it is more important for their husband to be able to communicate his deepest feelings than it is for him to make a good living. Nearly all unmarried respondents agreed that finding their soul mate, as opposed to someone who is a good provider or religiously compatible, is the most important factor in choosing a fiancé.

Cherlin’s findings also indicate that more and more people are viewing the wedding ceremony not as a symbol of their parents’ approval or a reason to have children, but as a statement and celebration of their own status and progress in life.

In the continuing evolution of our view of marital relationships, we can take our lead from the First Family or from our own feelings on why and when we tie the knot. But when it comes to creating the celebrations that connote the prestige, passion, and stability of the modern marriage, we take comfort in the creative and commendable work of Certified Wedding Planners everywhere.

Tags: Become a wedding planner, Certified Wedding Planner, Wedding Industry, Wedding Industry Statistics, Wedding Industry Trends

Did you enjoy this article? If so, please subscribe to my blog!