Why is the US marriage rate falling sharply?

[ConHog]

I blame it on the queers. They've invaded the institution.

and they call me a dick .

[jimnyc]

got married in 2005 at Disney World, the wife wanted to be married at Cindarella's castle. Cost a little over $30K even then.

But for her, it will be the only wedding.

Did you wear pink? LOL j/k

We got married right next to the beach in St. Lucia, over 17yrs ago now. I suggested 3 Rivers Stadium, she opted to elope and took me along for the ride. She's regretted it ever since!

Still can't get enough of that bouncy little hyper bastard, and Ali concurs!

[jimnyc]

and they call me a dick .

They call you worse than that!

[ConHog]

Did you wear pink? LOL j/k

We got married right next to the beach in St. Lucia, over 17yrs ago now. I suggested 3 Rivers Stadium, she opted to elope and took me along for the ride. She's regretted it ever since!

Still can't get enough of that bouncy little hyper bastard, and Ali concurs!

It was cheesy as fuck, I dressed up as Prince Charming, she Cindarella. After the ceremony we rode to our hotel in a pumpkin carriage.

The wife loved it, and it made her happy and ultimately nothing else matters, because if she aint happy, I aint happy.

[Thunderknuckles]

As far as weddings go, my wife and I had an awesome "cheap" wedding. We spent about 6K. I didn't have to buy a ring. My wife's grandparents passed their ring to me to give to her. It's been passed down in her family for a little over 100 years and they gave it to me!. Aside from the Hope diamond, there isn't a ring in the world I could ever have purchased to match that. My wife's other grandfather is an ordained minister and presided over our wedding. My wife had a custom made dress by her friend's dress shop and one of my wife's rich uncles let us use his ginormous home to hold the wedding at. All I had to do was buy all the booze everyone could drink and show up!!
It will always go down as the greatest party I ever had

[Shadow]

As far as weddings go, my wife and I had an awesome "cheap" wedding. We spent about 6K. I didn't have to buy a ring. My wife's grandparents passed their ring to me to give to her. It's been passed down in her family for a little over 100 years and they gave it to me!. Aside from the Hope diamond, there isn't a ring in the world I could ever have purchased to match that. My wife's other grandfather is an ordained minister and presided over our wedding. My wife had a custom made dress by her friend's dress shop and one of my wife's rich uncles let us use his ginormous home to hold the wedding at. All I had to do was buy all the booze everyone could drink and show up!!
It will always go down as the greatest party I ever had

I think it is awesome that you got to give your wife an heirloom for her wedding ring (so cool).

The one memory I have about the wedding ring I gave to my spouse is that is didn't mean diddly squat to him. Infact...the week after our wedding he was helping a friend fix his car. Took his ring off...put it on the bumper and left it there. Took the car for a test drive and there went the ring. When I got upset...he shrugged it off....said he would replace it...and he did...with one that represented me more in his view I'm sure. Bought a cheap $8.00 ring from Walmart (used to turn his finger green)...I stopped wearing mine shortly after that. Probably a good early sign that the relationship would never go anywhere.

[Jess]

It was cheesy as fuck, I dressed up as Prince Charming, she Cindarella. After the ceremony we rode to our hotel in a pumpkin carriage.

The wife loved it, and it made her happy and ultimately nothing else matters, because if she aint happy, I aint happy.

You made her happy - that IS what is important.

[Jess]

As far as weddings go, my wife and I had an awesome "cheap" wedding. We spent about 6K. I didn't have to buy a ring. My wife's grandparents passed their ring to me to give to her. It's been passed down in her family for a little over 100 years and they gave it to me!. Aside from the Hope diamond, there isn't a ring in the world I could ever have purchased to match that. My wife's other grandfather is an ordained minister and presided over our wedding. My wife had a custom made dress by her friend's dress shop and one of my wife's rich uncles let us use his ginormous home to hold the wedding at. All I had to do was buy all the booze everyone could drink and show up!!
It will always go down as the greatest party I ever had

I think my whole wedding cost about $2k - including my parents putting some of the out-of-state relatives up in a hotel.

I used my best friends' wedding dress, with alterations done by my aunt, stuff was pretty simple, we got married in the church I grew up in (I think it was 175 yrs old at the time -true little country church). Since the ex fancied himself a bull rider at the time all the groomsmen wore black Wranglers, boots, hats, tux shirts and black vests. They all decided to wear spurs too. It was pretty cool.

One of the best things is that some of my (honorary) aunts and uncles were there and they've since passed. Uncle Jerry (country boy) said it was the best wedding he'd ever been to because he got to wear jeans, boots, western shirt and a vest. All the music was country music - Chris LeDoux, George Strait, etc. He passed away within 18 months or so, I believe.

One of the worst things (that is now much more humorous) is that my dad was walking me up the steps to the church and told me that he had a tank full of gas in the car and I could still back out of it. He saw trouble ahead and was willing to give me a way out. My wedding is the first time I ever saw my dad cry. Bittersweet memories.

[ConHog]

I think my whole wedding cost about $2k - including my parents putting some of the out-of-state relatives up in a hotel.

I used my best friends' wedding dress, with alterations done by my aunt, stuff was pretty simple, we got married in the church I grew up in (I think it was 175 yrs old at the time -true little country church). Since the ex fancied himself a bull rider at the time all the groomsmen wore black Wranglers, boots, hats, tux shirts and black vests. They all decided to wear spurs too. It was pretty cool.

One of the best things is that some of my (honorary) aunts and uncles were there and they've since passed. Uncle Jerry (country boy) said it was the best wedding he'd ever been to because he got to wear jeans, boots, western shirt and a vest. All the music was country music - Chris LeDoux, George Strait, etc. He passed away within 18 months or so, I believe.

One of the worst things (that is now much more humorous) is that my dad was walking me up the steps to the church and told me that he had a tank full of gas in the car and I could still back out of it. He saw trouble ahead and was willing to give me a way out. My wedding is the first time I ever saw my dad cry. Bittersweet memories.

My sister got married the first time when she was 19. As dad started to walk her down the aisle he offered to send her and her best friend to Hawaii for two weeks if she'd call it off. The funniest part is that shit was caught on the official wedding video.

Marriage lasted about 2 years.

[Abbey Marie]

If we weren't such know-it-alls, and listened to our parents more.

[ConHog]

If we weren't such know-it-alls, and listened to our parents more.

Amazing that my dad gets smarter as I get older. I swear when I was 16 he was a dumb motherfucker.

Seriously, he was totally against me joining the military, so I forever have that to hold over him, I made the right decision at 16. yay for me.

I'm sure that was the ONLY good choice I made then.

[Jess]

If we weren't such know-it-alls, and listened to our parents more.

That's what my dad says.

On the other hand, if I had listened to him I wouldn't have the amazing kids that I have and wouldn't be in this place at this time, knowing the people I know, doing the things I do.

Would I trade that? Maybe my life would be better but there's an even chance that my life would be worse. The whole butterfly effect thing.

Life is a learning experience. Not all of my experiences have been fun but I've learned something from each one. *shrugs philosophically*