Is it contagious?

They're dropping like flies. Every day, another falls. Every week, another announcement.

ENGAGED! ENGAGED! ENGAGED!

No, I'm not talking about the ladies' loos at a Justin Trousersnake concert. I'm talking about matrimonials.

I realise that in the conventional, orthodox, religious sense; marriage is important. No sex out of wedlock and all that. But in this day and age, what exactly is the point of marriage? I know there are also supposedly tax advantages. But tax is about as foreign an understanding as biochemistry is to me, so I ask again - what is the point?

There's also the argument that wedding illustrates the partnership. Matching rings on matching fingers, completing the set (like the salt and pepper cellars that dad bought my mom on their first anniversary... now there's a gift that'll live on in infamy for a loong, looong time). But you can get a set of his and hers toe rings without a marriage certificate. So what is the point?

The closest Mills and I have gotten to marriage and certificates is when we had to prove that we WEREN'T married (for relocation purposes). And there was the time that I thought he'd said, "marry me" when he was actually referring to his teammate - Murray Lee. That was an interesting conversation in a noisy and crowded pub.

I love the fact that my friends are getting married. I'm happy for them, and I'm really sorry that so far I've actually managed to miss most of the celebrations (being out of town and off the continent has put a dampener on the social circle). But I don't see why there is still an expectation for young couples to tie the knot.

Let's be honest... how many young couple unions end in divorce? Scarier than people my age getting married, is people my age getting divorced. Is it part of the growing curve? Get drunk, pass driver's license, try boinking, get married, get divorced, turn 30. Woo hoo!

Okay, not necessarily in that order, but I think I've made my point. Hmmm... do I have a point? What is the point? Oh yes. Marriage. Why?

I'm all for weddings though. Good fun. Two thumbs way up for that idea. It's true what they say. Every girl dreams of her wedding. The difference with me is that I don't think it's necessary to include a ceremony, a marriage certificate, or a groom for that matter.

I'm a simple girl. With simple dreams. I just want a party where I get to wear a special dress, eat a special cake. Where everybody brings presents and tells me how pretty I look in my tiara.