Ending a marriage is different for everyone. It can be a painful process, but some couples feel the need to mark the end of their union for the sake of closure. There are actually a lot of different rituals that happen around the world when people divorce, and we thought it might be fun to take a look at a few of them.
• There’s a trend of divorce ceremonies all over the world, including in the U.S. These can be simple or elaborate, and are often quite personal, sometimes with family and friends in attendance to support new beginnings.
• Divorce parties are also becoming more popular, even among celebrities. Last year, Jack White apparently invited his friends and family to celebrate his and his wife’s “6th anniversary and their upcoming divorce.”
• Several years ago, a German bishop asked churches to participate in religious ceremonies for people going through divorces. Estranged couples at these events often tell those in attendance why the marriage didn’t work out.
• At a temple in Japan, estranged couples can write down their “breakup wishes” on small pieces of paper and then flush them down a toilet. Other ceremonies in the country involve smashing the couple’s wedding rings with a gavel.
• Unitarian Universalists offer a “ceremony of hope,” which takes place in a church with a minister, and often mimics a wedding. The divorcing couples typically apologize to each other, and their family and friends commemorate the end of the marriage, just as they were there at the beginning.
Source: Huffington Post, “Divorce custom: 7 post-split rituals from around the world,” July 21, 2012
• Our firm handles similar situations to the one discussed in this post. If you would like to learn more about our practice, please visit our Dallas family page.