Who doesn't love a wedding?
Even if it's just an excuse to chuck on a nice outfit and have a few drinks, almost all of us enjoy going to the occasional celebration of love between our mates, colleagues, or members of our family.
But one person online has claimed they can't stand weddings - and has said they don't see the point in them as they don't "mean much these days" when looking at how many marriages end in divorce.
In their post, the person claimed that the divorce rate is almost 50%, but these are the figures from the US, and the divorce rate in England and Wales is around 33.3%, according to analysts at NimbleFins.
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.
The person called themselves a "grumpy old cynic" and said they would rather that newly married couples keep the news of their marriage "quiet", as they don't want to hear about it in the office on the Monday after their ceremony.
In a post on Mumsnet, they moaned: "There are a number of people in my office getting married and the grumpy old cynic in me is finding it hard to get excited. I'm not sure marriage means much these days, what with the almost 50% divorce rate. Given that it's a commitment that is fairly easy to escape from, what exactly are we celebrating - the hope that it will work out or a legal contract committing them to one another?
"In fact, I can't help but feel that for many couples marriage is primarily the joining together of two people's assets and/or protecting one another, and in that way perhaps couples need to be more discrete about marriage, a bit like one is when they win the lottery or come into an inheritance ... keep it quiet.
"Of course, if couples do want to make an emotional commitment to each other, that's between them and seems like something you'd agree to privately.
"I'm happy to celebrate major achievements in life that involve a lot of effort, things like someone graduating with a PhD or getting a black belt in karate. But celebrating a commitment that can easily be unravelled or a legal contract that ensures the sharing of assets ... well, that doesn't seem much to celebrate, does it?"
Commenters were split over the post, with some agreeing that marriage should be kept more private than it currently is, but others insisting tying the knot doesn't mean any less "these days" than it ever has.
One person said: "I eloped to get married and it seemed ridiculous to spend money on just one day. I didn't feel the need to invite anyone to 'celebrate' us - the idea is strange to me!
"I don't really enjoy weddings, to be honest. I'm a right wedding misery!"
But someone else disagreed, writing: "I'm no romantic, but I think you are being unreasonable to think that people enter marriage 'these days' for reasons any different than they ever did.
"The fact that it can easily be unravelled is a good thing. Some marriages very much should be unravelled. That doesn't mean others aren't great. I know very few divorced people and have never been to a wedding I didn't enjoy or want to go to.
"So yes, you are being unreasonable, and grumpy!"
As a third stated: "Then don't [celebrate people's weddings]. No one wants your intense negativity around their happy day."
Other commenters branded the poster as a "fun sponge", and even compared them to the Dementors from Harry Potter who were creatures that fed on human happiness.
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at yourmirror@trinitymirror.com .
