This Wedding Boom Could Lead to a Bad Hangover
If past disasters are any clue, couples who got hitched in the middle of the pandemic have a better chance of enduring than those rushing to the altar now that times are better.
Small pandemic weddings like this one will have a stronger chance to last a lifetime.
Photographer: Olivier Doulier/AFP via Getty Images
For whom do wedding bells toll? A growing number of Americans, apparently. Everything from a surge in engagement ring sales to booked-up venue rentals indicate we’re headed for a major marriage boom.
Writing this off to pent-up demand doesn’t fully capture what’s happening here, for better or worse. The history of previous marriage booms suggests that human emotions, particularly those associated with collective traumas, can play a big role in nudging people to the altar — and then ensuring they remain married or pushing them to split up.