Bhartiyan Shadian...

Marriages are deemed almost necessary in the Indian society. Arranging a marriage is the responsibility of Indian parents and other relatives of both bride and groom.
Indian Marriage alliances entail some redistribution of wealth as well as building and restructuring social realignments, and, of course, result in the biological reproduction of families. In India there is no greater event in a family than a wedding. In arranging and conducting of marriages, the complex permutations of Indian social systems best display themselves. Some parents begin marriage arrangements on the birth of a child, but most wait until later.
Essentially, India is divided into two large regions with regard to Hindu kinship and marriage practices, the north and the south. Additionally, various ethnic and tribal groups of the central, mountainous north, and eastern regions follow a variety of other practices.
Re-Marriages in India. Rules for the remarriage of widows differ from one group to another. Generally, lower-ranking groups allow widow remarriage, particularly if the woman is relatively young, but the highest-ranking castes discourage or forbid such remarriage. The most strict adherents to the nonremarriage of widows are Brahmans. Almost all groups allow widowers to remarry. Many groups encourage a widower to marry his deceased wife's younger sister (but never her older sister).
Finding the perfect partner for one's child can be a difficult task. People use their social networks to locate potential brides and grooms of appropriate social and economic status. Increasingly, urban dwellers use classified matrimonial advertisements in newspapers & searching online matrimonial sites. The advertisements usually announce religion, caste, and educational qualifications, stress female beauty and male (and in the contemporary era, sometimes female) earning capacity, and may hint at dowry size.

Some of the dowries demanded are quite oppressive, amounting to several years' salary in cash as well as items such as motorcycles, air conditioners, and fancy cars. Among some lower-status groups, large dowries are currently replacing traditional bride-price payments.  The dowry is becoming an increasingly onerous burden for the bride's family. India anti dowry laws exist but are largely ignored, and a bride's treatment in her marital home is often affected by the value of her dowry. Increasingly frequent are horrible incidents, particularly in urban areas, where a groom's family makes excessive demands on the bride's family--even after marriage--and when the demands are not met, murder the bride, typically by setting her clothes on fire in a cooking "accident." The groom is then free to remarry and collect another sumptuous dowry. The male and female in-laws implicated in these murders have seldom been punished. Dowry deaths resulting from marriages have been the subject of numerous media reports in India and other countries and have mobilized feminist groups to action. Some analysts have related the growth of this phenomenon to the growth of consumerism in Indian society.
After marriage arrangements are completed, a rich panoply of wedding rituals begins. Each religious group, region, and caste has a slightly different set of rites. Generally, all Indian marriages involve as many kin and associates of the bride and groom as possible. The bride's family usually hosts most of the ceremonies and pays for all the arrangements for large numbers of guests for several days, including accommodation, feasting, decorations, and gifts for the groom's party. These arrangements are often extremely elaborate and expensive and are intended to enhance the status of the bride's family. The groom's party usually hires a band and brings fine gifts for the bride, such as jewelry and clothing, but these are typically far outweighed in value by the presents received from the bride's side. After the Indian bride and groom are united in sacred rites attended by colorful ceremony, the new bride may be carried away to her in-laws' home, or, if she is very young, she may remain with her parents until they deem her old enough to depart. A prepubescent bride usually stays in her natal home until puberty, after which a separate consummation ceremony is held to mark her departure for her conjugal home and married life.

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Irresistable Chocolates!!! by Amey Mairal

Chocolate is the most admirable sweet these days. When selecting the sweets for your special day there can be nothing better than chocolates not just because of the amazing health benefits, long shelf life, wide range of flavors and designs but also chocolates convey a sense of luxury and celebration for the big day in your life!

 The Shift in Wedding Chocolate flavors this year...

There is a blend of the contemporary chocolate and traditional dry fruits. The wedding boxes are filled with roasted almonds and roasted cashews else the milk chocolate loaded with roasted dry fruits

On the contemporary side, the soft centered truffles with supreme flavors like the caramel, caramel honey, the smooth hazelnut, the tangy orange, the summer lemon are all time favorite.

 The demand for 'Customized' Wedding Chocolates

Today the demand for personalized and 3D chocolates has taken a higher edge. The customized range keeps the receiver dazzled with designs and remembers the invite for a long duration! That is the kind of impact customization has on people!

The hottest selling are the 'Chocolate Wedding Invites', the edible chocolate invite! The trend is more towards creating an extra edge when it comes to innovation and keeping the delectable taste of the chocolate at the best! It is pure fusion of creativity and soothing the taste buds.

When it comes to chocolate bites, the couple names are engraved on the food gradable wraps keeping each bite customized.

 The Focus on Design

As it is said, "we eat with the eyes first ", so focus on the design is extremely critical especially when the focus is on themes like the 'Royal Rajwara', there in an intricate blend of tradition and modern design. The traditional and contemporary flavors are blended keeping the design in mind.

 The Shelf Life and Handling Chocolates

Chocolates are best kept on the tongue! On a serious note, the shelf life is an amazing characteristic of chocolate , the chocolate present can last up to 5-6 months! So, every time one bites in that chocolate there is a flash back of your wedding ceremonies! As a suggestion, in the summer season, especially the April-May-June quarter it is best to have your chocolate delights wrapped in 'food gradable wraps' while putting them in your wedding boxes as there is a slight change in the temperature. Chocolates always stay the best sweet to be presented along with your wedding invite.

 The time required

It is good to finalize the design and the flavors 2 months prior to the wedding date, it keeps you more relaxed when the major part of the invite is already taken care of .

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Exclusive location for weddings in India

If you are one of those couples who prefer getting married away from the hectic pace and maddening crowd of today, here is a look at some offbeat destinations which will serve your purpose of a quite serene and beautiful wedding location.

The Himalayas always seems to be associated with cold weather, snow and uncomfortable accommodation. However this illusion is shattered once you visit this beautiful and exotic location. The luscious green forests and the snow capped misty mountains overlooking the lawns provide an ideal setting for professing your love to one another. Between the functions, you can also engage your adventurous guests in activities like trekking, mountain picnics and river rafting or yoga and meditation for the less adventurous.


Surrounded by mystic blue hills, snow capped peaks and numerous lush gardens, the tea plantations of Assam, Darjeeling and Munnar are well known tourists spots in India. There are some tea estates here, which offer quaint cottages surrounded by hills and tea plantations for weddings and honeymooners. Trekking, boating, fishing, cycling are some activities that can be planned for the guests. Apart from this, you can also set up a site visit for your guests or indulge your guests in a tea tasting party where your guest sit back and sample the various aromatic flavors of fresh home grown tea.

The magical expanse of sand framed by a clear blue sky during the day and the soft orange red glow of the fading sun paints a mesmerizing picture for anyone visiting the dunes for the first time. These dunes are perfect for an intimate celebration. Since many of the magnificent palces in Rajasthan have been converted into hotels, these are perfect for a royal destination wedding. Some of these places have private sand dunes, which are maintained, by the hotels. To give your guests a taste of Rajasthan, instead of doing all your functions at the hotel, you can opt between having a pre wedding party or even the wedding ceremony itself at the dunes.

If getting married in the middle of a sea is your idea of a perfect wedding, then the Lakshadweep islands are one of the most exotic destinations in India you can come across. 

These islands are not much frequented by tourists and hence give you a chance of experiencing untouched beauty of nature. With a choice of 36 islands to choose from, you can give your guests the chance to visit beautiful coral reefs, hire a cruise ship or let them choose from snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, para sailing, fishing and other activities.

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Bollywood Songs in Indian Weddings!!

Bollywood has been inspiration for our weddings since many years. We sing their songs, we dress up like the characters, and we even decide theme based on ‘yash raj’ movie scene. The closest of all is the song and dance, which bollywood gives us. Music, completes the Indian wedding.

One of the good things about the Indian culture is that there is a song for every individual in every situation, and with the variety available, you need not worry about finding a song for each member of the family be it the brother, the father-in-law, the niece or even the grandmother. From traditional to bollywood. Indian music represents the essence of our culture.

Let’s explore various songs that could be used in different occasion of wedding.

‘Chammak Challo’, a very popular track from Ra.One can be eye catcher. Mostly bride’s sister or friends perform on this during sangeet.

‘Balle Balle’from Balle Balle Amritsar to L.A, is more family type song. Its fun and one can’t resist this one.

‘Suraj ki Bahon Main’ from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, is liked by everyone. It has catchy tune and everybody including grandparents can dance on this.

‘Aiweyin Aiweyin’ from Band Baaza Baarat, its a youngsters song, who like fast and pacy song.

Wedding songs should not be ranked, they are for enjoyment. Collection of songs should be mixed. It should have songs suitable for youngsters like ‘ Mehendi laga ke rakhna’ and also for elders like ‘Sona Sona’.

 This way not only will you always remember the special performances, even your family members and other guests would. More than anything else, it will be a whole lot of fun.

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Some facts about Islamic Marriage

1. Engagement or Mangni does not qualify the future spouses to go out together, even if the parents consent. Man and woman become permissible for each other only after the performance of Nikah.

2. Dowry

The unislamic system of demanding and accepting dowry must be avoided at all costs. Shariah does not make any expense incumbent on the bride/bride's parents. Even the marriage expenses, it is recommended are to be borne by the bridegroom.

However, the bride can bring whatever she wants of her free will, and it will always belong to her.

3. Other Unislamic Customs

Many other unislamic customs have crept into the marriage ceremony of some Muslims. These customs are either borrowed from non-Muslim cultures or continue because they are established in past generations. One must avoid them if they are against the Shariah, even if some people are displeased. Other customs like the breaking of coconut etc. also do not feature among the Islamic rituals. All actions, customs etc. which show disrespect to Islam or weaken the importance of Islam have to be avoided.

4. Haraam Acts

Some of the rituals in marriage ceremonies are absolutely haraam like the playing of music. It is also haram for ladies to go for mixed gatherings without proper hijab. Such things invite divine wrath and take away the blessings of this auspicious occasion.

In the Islamic Law, marriage is an 'aqd, a contract. The components of this contract are as follows:

A. Proposal

In Islam the process of proposal by a man to a woman for her hand in marriage, or for that matter, to her family, is encouraged. Islam considers this natural, and recommends it as an act of respectability and dignity for women.

B. Mahr

And the intending husband is asked to offer a Mahr to the bride.

The Quran says, And give women their Mahr as a free gift, but if they of themselves be pleased to give up to you a portion of it, then eat it with enjoyment and with wholesome result. [28]

The following points are worthy of consideration:

·    Mahr must be agreed upon by the marrying partners themselves, not by parents.

·    Mahr is her right, to which her husband remains indebted.

·    It is a free gift and not her price.

The Mahr may be cash, kind or non-material (like training or teaching something). It can be paid up front or can be in form of promise to pay upon demands decided prior to the solemnization of marriage.3 Moajjal (immediate), Muwajjal and Indat-talab (on demand).

However, it is much recommended to pay it before or at the time of Nikah itself.

C. The Nikah Ceremony

According to Shariah, the wife-to-be says, 'An Kah'tu nafsaka a'lal mah'ril ma'loom'

“I have given away myself in Nikah to you, on the agreed Mahr.”

Immediately, the man (bridegroom) says, 'Qabiltun Nikaha'.

“I have accepted the Nikah.”

With these pronouncements, they become husband and wife.

If the marrying partners are not able to recite the formula in Arabic, one or two persons or priests[29] are appointed and authorized to officiate. One who represents the bride would first seek her explicit consent to officiate on her behalf, and so would the other who acts on behalf of the groom. Naturally, there would be a slight variation in the pronouncements, because the persons reciting them are appointees. A person who represents the bride would initiate by saying, “Ankah'tu muwakkilati muwakkilaka a'lal mah'ril ma'loom.”

“I give away in Nikah the woman who has thus appointed and authorized me, to the man who has authorized you, on an agreed Mahr.”

The groom's representative would respond, “Qabiltunnikaaha limuwakkili a'lal mah'ril ma'loom.”

“I accept the Nikah on behalf of the one who has appointed me, on the agreed Mahr.”

It is mustahab to recite a brief discourse or Khutba before the Nikahformula is enunciated. In this Khutba, Allah is praised for His Wisdom in regulating the lawful process of procreation, and then the traditions from the Prophet (s.a.) are also recited.

D. Time of Marriage Ceremony

Though basically marriage is allowed at all times, there are some days on which marriage is not recommended; some of these are based on ahadithand some on cultural, historical reasons.

Generally, we can categorize these days into three: (a) There are someahadith which say that it is makruh (not recommended) to have a marriage ceremony on the days when the moon is in the constellation of Scorpio (this is known as al-qamar fil aqrab or qamar dar aqrab), during the last two or three days of the lunar months, and on Wednesdays. (b) There are certain days of the Islamic calendar which have become associated with the early events of the Islamic history; for example, the 10th of Muharram is the day of mourning for the massacre at Karbala or the day of the Prophet's death in Safar, etc. Since such days are commemorated by the Muslims as days of mourning, it is socially and, to some extent, religiously not recommended to have a marriage ceremony on such days.3

The Shia Ithna Ashari (Twelver Shias), especially in India and Pakistan, rarely perform marriage ceremony between the 1^st of Muharram and the 8^th of Rabi al-Awwal as this period includes the mourning days of Muharram culminating in the martyrdom of Imam Askari (a.s.). The 9^th Rabi al-Awwal is celebrated as Eid-e-Zahra.

If there is a need, however, Nikah, can be performed at any time.

E. Permission of the Bride-to-be/Father

The girl's consent is necessary and has to be taken by her representative, directly.

In case of a virgin/spinster the father's or the grandfather's permission is also necessary. However if the permission is unreasonably withheld under some conditions or the girl has no father/paternal grandfather it is not necessary.

However, a woman who is not a virgin, does not require any permission in case of remarriage.

F. Valima (Dinner)

Valima is highly recommended on the groom. The relatives, neighbours and friends must be invited for Valima. However, lavish spending is not advisable especially when the same money can be used effectively by the couple.

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Yes, I'll Marry You

Yes, I'll marry you, my dear,
And here's the reason why;
So I can push you out of bed
When the baby starts to cry,
And if we hear a knocking
And it's creepy and it's late,
I hand you the torch you see,
And you investigate.

Yes, I'll marry you, my dear,
You may not apprehend it,
But when the tumble-drier goes
It's you that has to mend it,
You have to face the neighbour
Should our labrador attack him,
And if a drunkard fondles me
It's you that has to whack him.

Yes, I'll marry you,
You're virile and you're lean,
My house is like a pigsty
You can help to keep it clean.
That sexy little dinner
Which you served by candlelight,
As I do chipolatas,
You can cook it every night!

It's you who has to work the drill
and put up curtain track,
And when I've got PMT it's you who gets the flak,
I do see great advantages,
But none of them for you,
And so before you see the light,
I do, I do, I do!

                                                               by: Pam Ayres

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The blessings of marriage

Marriage leads to better family relationships, less economic dependence, better physical health and longevity, improved mental health and emotional well-being and reduced crime and domestic violence.
These are the (unsurprising) main conclusions of a new report on the benefits of marriage from the Institute of American values.
Based on a survey of over 250 peer-reviewed journal articles on marriage and family life from around the world, a team of 18 leading American family scholars chaired by Professor Wilcox of the University of Virginia has drawn 30 conclusions about the positive benefits associated with marriage under five headings. Each of the conclusions is substantiated in the report and 20 pages of supporting references can be downloaded from Institute of American Values' website.

Amongst these conclusions are:
• Marriage, and a normative commitment to marriage, foster high-quality relationships between adults, as well as between parents and children.
• Children who live with their own two married parents enjoy better physical health, on average, than do children in other family forms.
• Marriage is associated with reduced rates of alcohol and substance abuse for both adults and teens.
• Marriage is associated with better health and lower rates of injury, illness, and disability for both men and women.
• Children whose parents divorce have higher rates of psychological distress and mental illness. n Married women appear to have a lower risk of experiencing domestic violence than do cohabiting or dating women.

The findings of the landmark 2006 report 'Breakdown Britain'  were similar. Based on an extensive evidence-based analysis by the Center for Social Justice  it found that the breakdown of marriage and the family was the key driver of Britain's collapse. The percentage of children born outside marriage went from 8% in 1970 to 41% in 2003 to 46% in 2009 ; lone parent families have increased by 40,000 per year since 1980.
Many of the mental and physical health problems that daily fill our GP surgeries, hospital wards and outpatient departments are symptoms of this. The main drivers, the five 'pathways to poverty', are all correlated with the collapse of marriage: family breakdown, educational failure, economic dependence, indebtedness, and addiction.
Furthermore the five 'pathways' are all interrelated. Children from a broken home are twice as likely to have behavioral problems, perform worse at school, become sexually active at a younger age, suffer depression, and turn to drugs, smoking and heavy drinking. A parent who has a serious drug problem or is addicted to alcohol can exhibit destructive behavior patterns which can destroy the quality of life for the other parent and for children, leading in turn to family breakdown.
Solutions must be multi-layered. We need sound legislation to strengthen and protect the vulnerable, a welfare system that helps those in genuine need and encourages independence, active corporate philanthropy and flourishing voluntary organizations. All levels of society including government, the corporate and charitable sectors, communities, and families have a role to play in reversing the decline. But government, charities and business are increasing failing to deliver in Britain's increasingly indebted and fragmented society.
That is because the breakdown of Britain and its five 'drivers' are themselves symptoms of a more general spiritual malaise – a loss of Christian faith and values leading to a breakdown of marriage and family. The church has a huge role to play; not just in what it does directly to support families in the community, but through the actions of individual Christians in positions of influence in health, education, local councils and government.
But more than this the church has at this time an amazing opportunity to model marriage and family to a society where alternative models have failed.
Marriage is a virtually universal human institution because it was originally God's idea. It was God who first said that it was not good for man to be alone and who created the unique complementarity of the marriage relationship for companionship, pleasure, procreation and the raising of children – one man, one woman, united for life  – illustrative of Christ's own self-giving abandonment to his bride the church  and pointing to a greater richness of human relationships beyond the grave of which the very best on earth are but a pale shadow.
Let's celebrate, demonstrate, promote and protect marriage as the vehicle of blessing that it is for husbands, wives, children, parents, extended family, community and ultimately the world.

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Significance of Mehendi

Indian marriages are known for their many rituals. In fact, the beauty of Indian weddings comes forth in the numerous traditions that are associated with the special celebration. Indian weddings are incomplete without dance, music and lots of laughter. Furthermore, Indian weddings are not a one day ceremony. Pre-wedding ceremonies begin before the wedding and can sometimes be a week long celebration.

Among the many traditions that are infused into Indian weddings, one of the most prominent is the mehndi ceremony. This is the day when mehndi is applied on the hands and feet of the bride and even the groom. While the bride has a very elaborate pattern done on her hands and feet, the groom usually has just a token design. Mehndi is a very important part of both Hindu and Muslim weddings in India. In fact, application of mehndi is a custom during any celebration in India, be it Karva Chaut, Teej, Diwali, Ramzan or any other festival.
Beliefs associated with mehndi
It is a common belief that the darker the color the mehndi leaves on the hands on a bride, the more will she be loved by her husband and mother-in-law. However, the significance of applying mehndi during weddings is not restricted just to sentiments and beliefs. Although these beliefs make the application of mehndi a much anticipated and charming tradition, the actual reason is of much deeper significance, which is sometimes forgotten in the present day.

Core significance
Besides lending color to the hands, mehndi is a very powerful medicinal herb. Weddings are stressful, and often, the stress causes headaches and fevers. As the wedding day approaches, the excitement mixed with nervous anticipation can take its toll on the bride and groom. Application of mehndi can prevent too much stress because it cools the body and keeps the nerves from becoming tense. This is the reason why mehndi is applied on the hands and feet, which house nerve endings in the body. Also, being a highly antiseptic agent, mehndi can protect the couple from viral diseases. Such diseases are totally undesirable just before the wedding and this medicinal herb can lend a strong shield. Any small cuts, burns or scratches that the couple might sustain during the course of so many rituals and customs can be healed easily with the application of mehndi. It improves blood circulation in the body and enhances general health. The initial practice of applying mehndi in ancient times began in order to protect the couple and keep them healthy.
Mehndi that is applied during Indian weddings is not just a plain paste of mehndi powder and water. Eucalyptus oil, a bit of clove oil and a few drops of lemon are added. These oils not only help in darkening the color of mehndi on the body, but also enhance the benefits of mehndi and make the paste highly medicinal. The best part is that the smell, the beautiful rich color and the health benefits that mehndi lends act as a powerful aphrodisiac. Also, since the color and smell remain for days, it boosts the romance in the initial days of wedding.

Islamic belief is also very strong regarding mehndi and its application during weddings is a very significant part of Islamic weddings as well. According to holy Islamic scriptures, the Prophet always administered mehndi application and as a drink to people suffering from diseases. So, it corresponds to the Hindu ideology of using mehndi before weddings. Mehndikirasmis held a couple of days before the nikah ceremony and is celebrated with a lot of pomp and honor.

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Bridal Mehandi

Mehndi, also called a henna tattoo, is a traditional temporary skin decoration using henna that is often applied for weddings in India, Morocco, or Pakistan. Bridal mehndi is applied on the bride's feet and hands the night before she gets married, so she will have beautiful designs on her skin for her wedding. Traditionally, only the bride gets the mehndi, but occasionally the man will also have his hands and feet decorated.
The skin on the hands and feet is typically darker than the rest of the body and contains higher levels of keratin, which helps the main color ingredient in henna, lawsone, adhere to the skin better. Also, an Indian woman dressed in traditional wedding garb only has her hands and feet showing. For these two reasons, the hands and feet are usually decorated. A picture of the sun, which represents the mind, is prominent among the traditional designs drawn on the bride's hands and feet. The groom's name is woven among the intricate motifs such as conchshells, peacocks, and flowers.
The night before the wedding, the bride's female family gather together to aid in the application of the henna on the bride. This is called a henna party, or mehndi party, and may take place at the bride's home, or perhaps at a banquet hall. A professional mehndi artist is employed to apply the henna. The bridal mehndi represents the bride's transformation from an innocent young girl to a temptress for her husband. The evening's festivities are filled with stories, songs, and dancing.
During the evening's festivities at the mehndi party, someone will regularly apply lemon juice to the henna to make it darker. After the henna is applied, it takes 24 hours for it to fully dry. During this time, the bride must be careful not to smudge the henna. Someone must do everything for her, since she can't use her hands. Her male family members perform her chores for her.
Henna comes in a powdered form, and is mixed with oil and other ingredients. It is then applied to the skin using a homemade cone, a Moroccan syringe, or paint brush. To make the mixing process as simple as possible, henna can be purchased already mixed and packed in the cone, so all the artist has to do is draw the designs. In olden days, women in India ground henna leaves on a stone. They then added oil to the ground henna, producing a darker color than dried henna does.

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Commitment during Marriage

"If you really love someone, you shouldn't have to work at it."
That's what High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens told CosmoGIRL! for its August 2008 issue. This young celebrity was speaking out loud what millions of people privately think: Loving feelings should come naturally in a relationship, so if you have to work at it, something's wrong. But the truth is exactly the opposite: If you truly love someone, you will work hard for the relationship.

What is Commitment?

 Commitment is a decision to have the abundant marriage God desires, regardless of circumstances or whether you think your spouse is doing his or her part. This includes:

• Realizing that marriage is an unbreakable covenant before God. At weddings, Atlanta minister Barry Grecu explains that ancient Hebrew culture understood a covenant not as a contract, which could be broken, but as a binding, permanent agreement — just like the covenant God makes with us.
• Choosing to "do it until you feel it." We often let our feelings guide our actions, but we are actually built for the opposite. Our Creator has designed us so that when we love another person with our actions, our feelings inevitably follow.
• Focusing on the good in our spouse and the sin in ourselves — instead of the other way around. If you're dissatisfied with your marriage, try this challenge: For the next 30 days, don't say anything negative about your spouse — neither to him or her nor to someone else. Every day, find something you appreciate about your spouse, and verbalize it. This marital application of Philippians 4:8 (which instructs us to focus on whatever is praiseworthy) has the power to transform a marriage. When we examine and work to change ourselves, we often bring out the best in our spouse as well.
• Engaging in Christian community, prayer and discipleship — especially when you don't want to. These three aspects of the Christian life help sustain every believer, but they are particularly essential for those going through a difficult season.
• Relying on God to help you act selflessly toward your spouse. As Grecu puts it, "We are incapable of living out our covenant promises in our own human strength. Jesus says, 'Apart from Me you can do nothing' and calls us to engage with the Spirit of God being lived out through us."

Is Commitment Possible?

The often-cited statistic that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce — even among churchgoers — can make commitment seem fruitless. But that statistic is misleading. Dozens of studies distinguish between couples who claim a nominal faith and those who prioritize church attendance. Couples who have a strong commitment to faith and attend church regularly are far more likely to have lifelong relationships.
One recent study in particular shows that those who go to church and pray together have a much lower divorce rate. The University of Virginia's Brad Wilcox found that regular church attendance cuts the likelihood of divorce by 30 percent to 35 percent. Wilcox's work is supported by another study by Annette Mahoney of Bowling Green State University, which independently came to a similar conclusion.
While that rate is still unfortunately high, when you add prayer into the mix, thoughts of divorce plummet. A 1998 survey by the Georgia Family Council found that among couples who prayed together weekly, only 7 percent had seriously considered divorce, compared to 65 percent of those who never prayed together.
The abundant marriage that God has designed for us is not only possible but also likely, and the journey there starts with one word — commitment.

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