By Marla Martenson, Author of  Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker
There’s a new survey out in Britain that suggests the “three-year glitch” has replaced the “seven-year itch” as the tipping point where couples start to take each other for granted.  I notice that when I’m asked how long my husband and I have been married, I get a response that is a mixture of surprise, shock and awe.  “Ten years?  Wow!”  The reaction is then followed by a knowing nod of the head and a silly grin, as if we have unwittingly found the cure for cancer or something equally as impressive.  That said, marriages do seem to be getting shorter and shorter.  50% percent of first, 67% of second and 74% of third marriages end in divorce, according to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri.
The British survey shows the top two passion killers as being weight gain/lack of exercise and money/spend thriftiness.
It doesn’t seem to make sense in the celebrity world, where couples seem to change partners as fast as Lindsay Lohan goes in and out of rehab.  After all, celebs don’t seem to gain weight; they all have personal trainers and private chefs, right?  Money woes?  Puhleeze!  But one thing that celebs tend to do is rush into marriage.  A few romantic scenes with their sexy co-stars and whamo!  The oxytocin kicks in, and the girl is gliding down the aisle all decked out in Vera Wang.
What can we learn from our beloved celebs?  Take it slow.  Really get to know the person that you are dating.  Don’t let your biological clock’s tick tock rush you into thinking that it’s now or never and that you’d better grab onto anything with a pulse.  Finding out if this person has the qualities and values that you are seeking will help ensure a lasting marriage and happy family.
