Because it's worth it

A wise man once asked, "Why is divorce so expensive? ...Because it's worth it."

I've been turning this over in my mind over the last few days, and I can't help but wonder why it isn't the other way around. Seriously, just think about it for a moment; if marriage licenses were as expensive as the average divorce, we'd probably save ourselves a whole lot of headache. The cost of a marriage license is around $36 dollars, but a lawyer's retainer is something like $1,500. And that's only if it doesn't get messy.

It stands to reason that if people had to invest as much into their right to get married as their right to terminate that marriage, people might just put a little more thought into it.

Granted, you might blow a whole bundle on the ceremony itself, but wouldn't you be a little less likely to jump if you've gotta front an additional $1,500 or so?

Better still, make it expensive enough to draw out in a five year plan. If you can still put up with each other when it's over, you might just be a little better off for it.

Or why not have a waiting period or something along those lines? Like buying a gun. Or trapping an animal (it's basically the same thing anyway).

Personally, I think it couldn't hurt to have the option to renew after three years or so, either, but maybe that's just me.

Might just up the stats of that whole 50/50 chance thing.

...Or maybe you'll think it over and decide that given the options, you'd rather just get a dog.