The Latest Marriage Related Trend: Divorce Parties
From the east coast to the west coast, everyone from novelty bakeries to stationary stores and even sex toy shops are getting a new slice of what was the bachelorette party and wedding market place in the latest marriage-related trend: the divorce party. The statistic that approximately half of all marriages end in divorce is commonly heard, but what has been unheard of until recently is celebrating that fact.
From divorce parties to divorce ceremonies, the ways people are acknowledging their transitions from marriage to single-hood again are apparently ever expanding. Celebrants USA, is a non-profit educational institution dedicated to people “mark life’s milestones with personalized ceremonies,” includes divorce ceremonies in their offerings and is reportedly organizing around one or more divorce ceremonies a month. The tone of what they do may seem far afield from the more festive and potentially light-hearted divorce parties that Nicole Irvin has taken note of in her business, AdultSexToys.com, but considering the complexities of the subject matter it is no suprise that there isn’t a one size fits all approach.
“What we have seen is a shift in manufacturers who before only made tiaras, sashes and other novelty items for bachelorette parties now coming out with very similar divorce themed novelty items. Some people may find it a little shocking but the truth is no one knows what someone else’s marriage was like. The idea of celebrating a new start, moving on in your life with friends and some support and joy around being single again is sometimes a very good fit under the circumstances.”
And lots of divorce parties do have a roaring bachelorette style theme going on as divorce parties in locations like Las Vegas are on the rise. That said, according to Christine Gallagher, the owner of Los Angeles event company The Divorce Party Planner and the author of a book by the same name, whatever the theme or style, divorce parties can in large part be about being surrounded by close friends who care. She notes that “For most major life events we have some sort of ritual or ceremony or gathering to help us through it. With divorce, people are kind of on their own. A divorce party can be a very primitive way to gather around and help the person through what is a horrible time.”
“It makes as much sense as a bachelorette party if not more” says Laurie Young, 43 and recently divorced. At an engagement or bachelorette party or a wedding, mine at least, my friends were there to be supportive and celebrate the next stage of my life. When you divorce that becomes even more crucial on both an emotional level and a practical one. When I got married we had practically two of everything. Now I am a single mom with two kids reentering the workforce. Having my close friends create a gift registry of household items at this turning point takes on a new level of meaning and support. If we all get to laugh a little and I’m reminded that I still have a pulse, that even if my world as I know it is over but the world at large isn’t, then right now let me tell you, that is a good thing!”
