proverb · Words worth keeping
Love does wonders, but money makes marriage.
Love does wonders, but money makes marriage.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Affection and practical arrangements both shape a shared life. The saying draws attention to material circumstances without proving that money determines every marriage or relationship.
Example
A couple discusses how to share ordinary expenses and responsibilities rather than assuming their affection makes every practical disagreement disappear.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Love produces strong feelings, while money is presented as what makes marriage possible. The contrast questions the assumption that affection answers every practical issue involved in a commitment. Housing, expenses, responsibilities and expectations may need discussion alongside feelings. It can also describe social pressure that gives wealth undue importance. The wording should not reduce a partner to a financial asset or imply that people with fewer resources cannot form a worthwhile relationship. Its useful point is to examine the actual arrangements instead of expecting either affection or money to solve every difficulty alone.
When to use it
Use it to bring practical expectations into a discussion of commitment.
Keep in mind
Relationships take varied forms. Wealth is not a measure of love, worth or entitlement to a partner.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their 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
- Date unknown