There are so many different stages in our relationships today, dating and engagement to marriage. Not every relationship has a happy ending, of course. Some couples break up before marriage, others break up after getting married. These are commonly referred to as a broken engagement and a divorce. The two are the end of a love relationship but they are very different in commitment and legal and emotional consequences.
A broken engagement is when a couple decides not to marry after getting engaged. The couple might not be compatible, family problems, financial problems, lack of trust or changing life goals can cause the wedding to be cancelled. It’s painful emotionally and, of course, the couple is not legally married, so the separation is considerably less complicated than that.
A divorce, on the other hand, occurs after a couple is legally married. Divorce is the formal legal process of ending a marriage. It often involves property, finances, child custody, and other responsibilities. Because marriage creates legal obligations, ending it is usually much more complicated than ending an engagement.
The Biggest Difference
The difference is so simple:
- Broken engagement = Relationship ends before marriage.
- Divorce = Relationship ends after marriage.
Many people hear the word "divorce" for any serious breakup, but legally and socially the two situations are not the same.
Which is more emotionally difficult?
This is all dependent on the people involved. A broken engagement can be tragic because this breaks down dreams and wedding plans and the future expectations for the couple. Families may have already started preparing for the marriage so it’s even worse when families already have started looking toward it.
Divorce is always a hard one, because it’s often years of shared experiences, emotional investment, financial commitments and sometimes children. Relationships that are deeper than that of a good relationship can take longer to recover, so that emotional recovery is the first step.
Why do people think a Broken Engagement is better than divorce?
Many relationship experts believe that if you know that you have incompatibilities before marriage you can avoid bigger troubles later. A broken engagement can be painful but it can save both parties from getting into a marriage that is impossible to succeed in the long run.
Think of it this way: ending an engagement is like turning around and changing direction before starting a long journey, while divorce is the same as stopping after the journey has already started.
Social Perception
A broken engagement might bring questions from relatives and friends in some cultures. But attitudes are changing and people now see it as a responsible decision when a couple decides they are not the right match.
Divorce is also less stigmatized in many societies but one is more often accompanied by emotional and legal challenges because of the formal nature of marriage.
Conclusion
A broken engagement and a divorce can’t be considered the same. A broken engagement will end a prospective marriage and a divorce will result in a marriage that has already been put into place. Both are emotionally hard, but divorce is typically a much more difficult situation for you due to the legal and financial aspects of it. And more importantly, knowing what you’re going to do before getting married can help keep you out of a more difficult situation and show you that compatibility and mutual understanding are the elements of a good relationship.
