Marriage Resource Center of Wayne County

 January 25, 2008  

Editor News, Freep, Heritage News, Observer-Eccentric, MI Chronicle, etc.XX 

re: Mass weddings unhealthy for couples 

To the Editor:

As Valentine’s Day approaches, many couples begin to think of romantic ways they can celebrate the day together.  Some will even decide it’s the perfect day to finally “tie the knot”.  For those couples I say, “Congratulations!” for we know the tremendous benefits to couples, to their children, and to our communities when those unions result in a healthy marriage.  But then I’ll ask “what are you doing to insure that you have a life-long marriage?”  It’s unfortunate that so many couples are doing nothing—especially when what can be done is inexpensive, readily available, and greatly increases their odds of being happy, avoiding infidelity and remaining together for a lifetime. 

Our Wayne County Clerk’s office, asserting that they’re just offering what the people want, provide group wedding services several times each year.  They proudly promote this service, saying they marry hundreds of couples at a time.  My personal and professional concern is that they provide no pre-marriage education for those couples, nor will they refer them to any of the hundreds of churches, mosques, community centers, marriage educators, or therapists who offer those services.  In contact with my office, they have even refused to place information where couples may choose to discover marriage education services for themselves, saying they cannot endorse any one organization.  Such a statement reflects their lack of awareness of the importance of marriage to a vital economy, to the health of individuals, and to the strength of communities, as well as a refusal to become informed of the fact that we are a non-profit “umbrella” organization who serves as a clearinghouse where couples may locate those services throughout Wayne County.

Our governments are in fact NOT in the habit of ‘just providing what the people want’, otherwise they would be selling illegal drugs to addicts, and tobacco and cigarettes to under-aged teens.  Such a statement reflects a lack of responsibility for the outcome of the services they provide.  Where the National divorce rate is approximately 45% (and Wayne County’s is much higher), what they should be in the habit of doing is providing information—that endorses no one organization in particular—that directs couples to how and where they may find support services for themselves. 

Sincerely,   

Julianne M. Bock, CME Executive Director

Marriage Resource Center of Wayne County