Is Tying the Knot Going Out of Fashion?

   By drodriguez  Dec 23, 2011

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If you haven’t been asked to throw on a new pastel chiffon bridesmaid number in quite some time or if you’ve been attending fewer and fewer weddings lately, you may not be alone. Time magazine reports about a new study from the Pew Research Center that reveals marriage rates are now at a record low.

Though the news that barely half of adults living in the U.S are currently living the married life may sound like dire news to some, it could actually be beneficial to the whole institution in the long run.

The lower marriage rate may mean people are taking their relationships more seriously, realizing in some cases that they should not rush into a marriage but rather wait until they are closer to 30 to make that important decision.  The newer generations also probably don’t feel as rushed to get hitched as their parents once had.

The Pew Research study found that the number of people getting married between the ages of 18 and 24 dropped by 13% in 2009 and 2010. For those between the ages of 36 and 45, marriage is still a popular endeavor. Waiting until later in life to walk down the aisle has its benefits in that many of us are comfortable in our careers and carry more wisdom and experience than we did in our twenties.

But just because there are fewer marriages and more people waiting to get married these days doesn’t mean we won’t still hear about the occasional mistake moment a la Kim Kardashian.  But for the most part it would seem we are taking this marriage thing more seriously, right? And that has to be good news.

What do you think of the new report that reveals marriage rates are at an all-time low?

Do you think this is a good thing and will strengthen the institution of marriage in the long run?