Romance Survey reveals its not always wedded bliss
A majority of Australians who have married feel the “biggest day of their lives†didn’t measure up to their expectations, according to a new survey.
Commissioned by Princess Cruises, the survey found almost 70% of respondents would make changes to their wedding day if they had their time again.
Asked what they would alter, 27 per cent said they would have chosen a different honeymoon, 11 per cent said they would change their partner and 11 per cent declared they would not involve their mother-in-law.
But romance is still alive, with the survey revealing a growing trend amongst younger couples to reinforce their love for each other, with more than 50 per cent of people aged between 25 and 44 indicating they would like to renew their wedding vows while on holiday.
The research results come as Australia prepares to welcome its latest ‘Love Boat’, Dawn Princess, this Sunday (October 26), with renewal of vows ceremonies planned for visits across the country.
Princess Cruises’ romance guru, Gavin MacLeod who starred as Captain Stubing in the hit ‘Love Boat’ TV series, said thousands of people had either married or renewed their vows with Princess Cruises, which has been offering romantic holidays around the world for 40 years.
“The sea has long been associated with romance, which might explain why onboard vow renewal is becoming more and more popular with Princess passengers,†Mr MacLeod said.
Commenting on the survey results, Relationships Australia Vice President Anne Hollonds said the findings showed that there was a lot of dissatisfaction about wedding days.
“Finding creative ways to rekindle your romance and even renew your vows might be very helpful in sustaining your relationship long term,†Ms Hollonds said.
“There are lots of ways to do this – including spending time together on a romantic break to help couples fall in love all over again.â€
Ms Hollonds said it was interesting that fewer older people were looking at renewing their vows.
“Given that the incidence of separation and divorce is increasing in the over-fifty age group, these older couples can also benefit from a renewed focus on their relationship and commitment to each other,†she said.
Dawn Princess, which will be based in Australia full-time, will sail from Sydney on Sunday on her first 28-night Romantic Tour of the country, calling at 13 ports and visiting every state. Renewal of vow ceremonies will be held at sea and in the ports of Fremantle, Melbourne and Sydney.
Dedicated to ensuring the ultimate romantic holiday at sea, Princess Cruises’ online ‘Department of Romance’ www.princess.com/romance offers tips for couples to help maintain a healthy loving relationship including:
** Keep ‘dating’ and practise random acts of affection
** Always have a bottle of champagne on hand to celebrate anything at the drop of a hat
** Give your partner a different kind of flower each day
A Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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