Statistics show that marriages don’t last forever anymore. In the United States, divorce rates for first and third marriages are between 50% and 74%. The third time doesn’t always work out either. And it’s not just an American problem. As of 2014, 47.5% of Swedish households consist of one adult with no children, and in Belgium, 60% of first marriages end in divorce. Male escorts This is where the concept of a trial marriage comes in. A contractual or pact-based union that allows a couple to live together, test out a male companion, and walk away relatively unscathed if they decide not to continue. This dates back to ancient Celtic times. At the Lughnasad harvest festival in July in Ireland, couples could have a trial marriage for a year and a day until the next festival. After that, they could decide whether they wanted to give up on the marriage or continue with it. The romance of marriage is not entirely excluded from the process. Hand-binding has also become part of the tradition in Scotland, where a similar hand-fastening ceremony took place. The physical joining of the couple’s hands during the handfasting or Lughnasad festival symbolizes a declaration of their union and unity. While the Catholic Church has never accepted this, hand-fasting ceremonies are still practiced in Pagan and Wiccan communities, with hand-fasting ceremonies tailored to couples whether or not they are part of a legal marriage. Neopaganism is not the only culture to consider the concept of trial marriage; it is highly controversial. Muslims can enter into a trial marriage as a contract, with the permission of their parents or guardians, to maintain religious unity. This allows them to live and date together in the traditional Western sense but also serves as a respected connection. Once the trial period is over, the couple can decide if they want to stay married or go their separate ways. However, it is religion and social influences that force couples to get into traditional marriages instead of cohabitation or trial marriages. While cohabiting couples are sometimes considered to be “living in sin,” these young and innocent newlyweds are in perfect harmony with the laws of their religion simply because they are joining together in holy matrimony. However, it is these young newlyweds who do not test their male partners enough and end up in unhealthy relationships that lead to divorce. Trial marriages and cohabitation could be the solution to the rising divorce rate. Realistically, challenging the social norms of marriage could reduce the pressure on couples who are in unhappy or unhealthy relationships. Deviating from the norm when it comes to male companions may result in more people having the opportunity to stay overnight together or date before it is too late.
