"If you get through something like divorce, you're well worth a party."
Marriage usually means champagne and celebrations. But surely ending an unhappy marriage deserves a toast too?
One South East woman is encouraging others to recognise the achievement of divorce, as she plans her very own Taylor Swift themed divorce party.
Tracey from Waterford was married in 2011 and separated from her spouse in 2018. In 2021 the couple began divorce proceedings and her divorce finally came through just last week.
According to the Life Change Index, divorce is the second most stressful life event a person can experience, second only to the death of a spouse. Finalising a divorce can feel anticlimactic, and Tracey wasn't sure what to do when the arduous journey came to an end.
Tracey thinks divorce should be celebrated because it's important to let go of the past
"You're kind of in a bit of a limbo for a while, there's a lot of uncertainty and everything around it. So when you come out the other side there's a bit of a lull, then it hits you. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, then one of my friends suggested we should have a divorce party."
Tracey is also taking inspiration from another woman who is vocal about the trauma of break-ups. "I love Taylor Swift and all Taylor Swift does is sing about her exes, so I thought, no better woman to get us through the night. There’ll be Taylor disco cocktails and a lot of colorful decorations."
The Waterford divorcée would encourage others to celebrate their divorce, or similar life event, as it can help a person process the transition in their life. "I think it should be celebrated, not because it's end of marriage but because it's important to let go of past. Your divorce signifies a new chapter in your life and its important to acknowledge that you got through it and you came out the other side. People should definitely have a celebration. If you get through something like that you're well worth having a party."
