proverb · Words worth keeping
Married to-day, marred to-morrow.
Married to-day, marred to-morrow.
In print by 1857 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The hopeful beginning of a marriage does not guarantee that the relationship will go well. The source’s cynical contrast invites attention to continuing conduct, rather than a prediction that marriage must fail.
What the words are saying
The play between married and marred compresses a large change into a day. That exaggeration gives the warning its force: a public commitment and an enjoyable occasion cannot settle how people will treat one another afterwards. A careful reading focuses on the difference between starting a relationship and maintaining it. Expectations, practical responsibilities and communication still need attention. The wording is too absolute to describe all marriages, and it provides no evidence that a particular couple will be unhappy or that difficulties are caused by one gender.
Everyday example
A couple plans every detail of a wedding but postpones discussing household responsibilities. Afterwards they agree a routine and revisit it when their circumstances change, rather than treating the ceremony as the whole task.
When to use it
Use it cautiously to discuss the work that follows a hopeful beginning.
What it does not mean
The saying expresses a pessimistic historical judgment, not a universal finding about marriage or advice to stay in an unsafe relationship.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional (French-language collection)
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1857 AD · industrial
In print by 1857: recorded in A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857) (1857 AD)
Printed page 6; French section, paragraph 118; source wording: Aujourd’hui marié, demain marri.
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.