I think little girls are deceived into thinking that whatever guy they fancy is going to treat them like a princess.
It's hard to grow up with that mindset, especially after you discover it isn't true.
But at the same time, we are also not taught to be prepared for some ill-treatment every now and then.
People aren't perfect, and of course everybody knows that a spouse is going to hurt them from time to time.
But I think instead of saying that it isn't worth it because of that, we should learn how to handle it better and know that people are people and being in such close contact with them isn't going to hide their ugly side at all.
Because, after all, people are still going to fall in love, with imperfect people- when it happens there's just not much stopping it.
So, I think abandoning the idea of marriage altogether is not a good way to look at it.
It's healthy to let yourself hope for things, just understand that as with any friend or family member you already have, they are not going to be perfect all the time and they will also need your help. A spouse is not a toy, or a post to lean on- they are a human being.

that picture shows reality. i never believed in fairy tales, so yeah. long term commitments are hard though from what i've heard from people.

I think the photo is kind of stupid. I love fairy tales, and I believe in the sanctity of marriage. But I don't get the two of them confused. One is fantasy, and the other is reality. And I'd no more expect a fairy tale in real life than I would expect to get a unicorn for my anniversary. If I plant beans, I expect a beanstalk, but I don't expect it to get all the way up to a world in the clouds.

I have been married for 4 years now. My parents are coming up on their 30-year anniversary, my husband's parents have been married for about 25 years, and my little brother has been married for 2. I agree that both people have to make efforts to make the marriage work, I don't consider it work myself. You can have a wonderful marriage without ever reaching the moments depicted in the picture above.

First of all, no one says you have to have children, let alone four children, simply because you are married. Many couples choose not to have children for various reasons. Marriage and children are two separate committments. Agreeing to the first doesn't automatically include the second, although hopefully you did discuss your views prior to getting married, so you don't get blindsided.

If you take the kids and the dog out of the picture, all I see is a tiny little bit of mess, and a husband watching something he is interested in on TV. How is that supposed to be a statement on marriage? Seems like maybe a typical Saturday afternoon for some couples, and there's nothing wrong with that.

I see an attractive young couple who have responsibilities (not easy running that Kingdom) in a nice home with a fireplace, TV, some nice chairs, a painting...frankly, that's a lot more than some of us have. Speaking as someone who rents an apartment, doesn't have a fireplace, had to cancel our cable subscription, and who only has chairs because someone gave them to us.

I don't think marriage is a fallen fairytale. I think some people fail at marriage. It's not really fair to blame that on children's stories. I grew up on children's stories, I've read hundreds of books on fairytales, but I never expected to be swept off of my feet and live happily ever after.

@mommyloo - My husband and I courted for 8 months, and were engaged for 7 months, during which time we were always chaperoned. We've been married now for 4 years this summer, and I've never felt that living together first would have added any benefit to our marriage. We learned all we needed to know about the other's beliefs, values, and goals during those 15 months before we tied the knot. Afterwards, we had a bit of a crash course in some things, but it was fun to be inexperienced together, to learn together, and to really learn how to rely on each other during hard times. We were best friends by the day of our wedding, and it has only gotten better since.

It's true that you can't learn EVERYTHING about someone until you live together. But it's not true that you can't learn everything you NEED to know before living together. I've done it, and I don't consider my case to be extraordinary.

the photo reminds me of Jon and Kate...j

I believe if both people truly love eachother and have similar goals/wants for how they wish their life to be then it's a good chance they will make it. Not to mention the lines of communication must always be open, arguements need to be handled or at least settled with maturity and the "fire" must never be allowed to go out...or even cool down.

Honestly, to me, that picture shows a once happy couple now stressed and torn by the many responsibilities their so-called fairy tale has brought on (i.e. the children). If Snow White didn't have kids clinging to her and was just standing there looking unhappy, I would instantly assume they rushed into the marriage and are now displeased with eachother or things aren't being said or done (meaning: sex) that should be. But because the kids are there, all I see is the kids as the root of their problems...which is why I'm so against having any of my own. :P

@JosephParsons@xanga - Correct me if I'm wrong (and I very well may be) but as I understand it, those statistics are taken from marriages and divorces in a calendar year.  For example, 100 couples get married and 50 couples get divorced.  Obviously the "50%" statistic is skewed then because the 50 divorces aren't all from marriages in that year but instead from marriages conducted during the many years prior as well.  See what I mean?