Marriage takes work, not just a wedding - Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings cautions couples

The Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has cautioned Ghanaians against romanticising marriage, stressing that while many spend energy preparing for weddings, they often neglect the reality of sustaining a lifelong partnership.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Talk No Dey Cook Rice podcast, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings observed that society tends to celebrate glamour over substance. She remarked,

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I get the impression that when people think about marriage, it’s often the preparations that dominate, the ‘Save the Date’ pictures, the outfits, the ceremony, rather than the actual journey of being married

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According to her, families and couples frequently invest heavily in appearances to satisfy social expectations, while overlooking the fact that living together requires daily compromise. “Even siblings raised under the same roof struggle with communication and differences. How much more when you choose to share your life and start a family with someone? Marriage is not automatically a fairy tale,” she noted.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings urged couples to embrace honesty early on in relationships rather than hiding aspects of themselves. “It’s good to put your best foot forward, but you also need to be transparent about who you are. Otherwise, three months later, your spouse may wonder, ‘Where did this character trait come from?’ That’s not to say don’t improve, but don’t misrepresent yourself either,” she explained.

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Comparing marriage to business partnerships or contracts, she stressed the importance of continuous effort. “You cannot simply leave a relationship to run on autopilot. It requires constant work. Sometimes the way you speak might not be understood the way you intended. You have to learn to speak each other’s language—not your dialect, but how to communicate so you’re both hearing the same thing,” she said.

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She further emphasised the need for clarity on financial responsibilities and household chores. “There must be a foundation of common values to return to when things get difficult. Whether it’s who provides money for what or who handles particular duties, clarity makes it easier to manage challenges,” she advised.

Despite all the preparation and commitment, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings admitted that no marriage is ever assured of success. “Even with the best intentions, sometimes it simply does not work. Marriage is always a risk. You hope for the best, but there are no guarantees,” she concluded.

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