Two in five people believe pre-nuptials should be part of standard marriage contracts, while one in three believe monogamy is no longer a ‘realistic’ ideal in modern relationships.
The proportions increase in younger adults where those between the ages of 25-34 (59%) were twice as likely to think prenups should come as standard as those over the age of 55 (27%); and 42% of those aged 18-24 suggested monogamy was no longer realistic.
The statistics come from the Modern Marriage Report which draws on the insight of 1,000 UK respondents to a survey conducted by Rayden Solicitors into how views on marriage are evolving, which traditions still hold strong and how issues like wellbeing, fairness, and personal choice are reshaping what modern relationships look like, beyond romance.
According to the data, nearly 1 in 3 people (31%) believe that monogamy is no longer a ‘realistic’ ideal in modern relationships. This perspective is especially common among younger adults, with almost 2 in 5 (42%) of those aged 18–24 expressing this view – the highest proportion among all age groups.
Views on monogamy are broadly similar between men and women, though men are slightly more likely to believe it’s still a realistic ideal, with 69% saying so, compared to 67% of women.
The idea of redefining traditional relationship structures extends beyond monogamy. One in four people (24%) say they’re open to a “marriage sabbatical” – a temporary break from the relationship focused on personal growth rather than separation. Interest in this concept is particularly strong among 25–34 year-olds, with 47% in favour, compared to just 8% of those aged 55 and older.
“The results of our survey show that social media prenups would be considered by many as a way for couples to set boundaries on what can be shared online after a breakup. These ideas reflect a shift towards prioritising personal well-being while navigating relationships with open communication and mutual respect.”
said Kayleigh Biswas-Gregory, Senior Associate at Rayden Solicitors.
The result suggest for many protecting their reputation in the digital age is becoming just as important as securing their finances say Rayden. With many relationship now beginning online through dating apps, the results suggest social media prenups, agreeing what can and can’t be shared online following a relationship breakdown, could become part of prenuptial agreements. Again the proportions amongst younger people was higher with 69% in the 25-34 age bracket agreeing against an overall average of 39%. Men (44%) were more likely to believe in the idea of a social media prenup than women (33%).
On whether dating apps have improved marriages, opinion in split with 30% saying they have improved relationships by making it easier to find compatible partners, increasing the pool of potential partners and helping to normalise diverse relationship styles; while 28% say they haven’t.
Against a backdrop of pressure to introduce greater cohabitation rights, the survey found 58% of people would still want to get married even if they had the option to cohabit with the same legal rights as marriage. Interesting the highest percentage of those wanting to get married was amongst the age group 18-24, with 69% agreeing. BY contrast, the ages of 45-54 were least likely to want to get married, with only 52% stating that they would still marry.
63% of respondents said cohabiting couples should have the same legal rights as married couples but, say Rayden, the institution of marriage remains strong with only one in five respondents saying they would consider cohabiting with full legal rights instead of tying the knot.
One Response
It seems quite vague how you’re defining, or how survey respondents are interpreting “monogamy”. Does this include “serial monogamy” – ie a series of relationships which last for a temporary period but are exclusive while they last – or are you just talking about lifelong monogamy?