History Main / WartimeWedding

* Happens to [[spoiler: Finnick and Annie]] in the third books of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' trilogy, ''Mockingjay.''

War is a brutal, tragic thing. Expect plenty of {{Cruel And Unusual Death}}s and {{Tear Jerker}}s. The atmosphere of a lot of war stories is generally saddening and depressing, if not outright horrifying and peppered with NightmareFuel. That said, when a writer thinks that enough is enough and that these poor characters need a bit of happiness in their lives without deviating from the somber war genre, then what better way to show that than have two characters get married?

** In addition, WorldWarII refugee camps had the highest marriage rate of any place in the world at that time, IIRC.

* In ''The Emperors Winding Sheet'' by Jill Paton Walsh the last Byzantine Emperor visits a wedding party held during while the city is under siege. When one of his courtiers asks if this is the proper time, TheEmperor says "Tomorrow may be to late".

* ''In Love and War'' (1958) centers on three Marines in WorldWarII, first on leave, then in battle. One, Nico, uses his leave to propose to and marry his pregnant girlfriend. It would not be fair to call this a ShotgunWedding, because they're genuinely in love and no one is making him. Perhaps predictably, [[spoiler: he's the one of the three who doesn't survive]].

* ''In Love and War'' (1958) centers on three Marines in WorldWarII, first on leave, then in battle. One, Nico, uses his leave to propose to and marry his pregnant girlfriend. I don't think it would be fair to call this a ShotgunWedding, because they're genuinely in love. Perhaps predictably, [[spoiler: he's the one of the three who doesn't survive]].

** A less heartwarming one: AdolfHitler and Eva Braun, Berlin, 1945.

* Susan Bones and Ernie Macmillan in ''Fanfic/DumbledoresArmyAndTheYearOfDarkness''. Professor [=McGonagall=] also told a backstory about herself marrying a wizard who joined the muggle RAF in WWII and died shortly afterward.

* Roran and Katrina in the ''InheritanceCycle.'' They were already engaged before the war came to their home village, though.

** William leaves to fight in WWI and asks Daisy to marry him when the war is over; she doesn't love him and wants to turn him down, but accepts because Mrs Patmore tells her that William should not have to go to war heartbroken. He is mortally wounded in the trenches, and marries Daisy hours before his death because he wants her to have a widow's pension.

* In ''DowntonAbbey'', William leaves to fight in WWI and asks Daisy to marry him when the war is over; she doesn't love him and wants to turn him down, but accepts because Mrs Patmore tells her that William should not have to go to war heartbroken. He is mortally wounded in the trenches, and marries Daisy hours before his death because he wants her to have a widow's pension.

* Happens to [[spoiler: Finnick and Annie]] in the third books of ''TheHungerGames'' trilogy, ''Mockingjay.''

* The Baby Boom in all countries after WorldWarII was basically the result of this. American [=GIs=] were getting married and having kids because they were happy to be home after all those years; Europeans and Japanese were simply [[GladToBeAliveSex happy to be alive]]. Also, a not-insignificant number of Americans contributed to the European boom, electing to stay there rather than return (this was particularly common for black troops, who preferred the casual unofficial racism of Europe to the more virulent and structured Jim Crow).

* The Baby Boom after WorldWarII was basically the result of this.
** That and the Americans showing up.

** Ashley Wilkes and Melanie Hamilton are engaged during the very beginning of war. He ultimately survives the war, but refuses to be called a hero, depressed of the war horrors.

* In ''[[AnneOfGreenGables Rilla of Ingleside]]'', Rilla's friend Miranda gets married to her fiance Joe before the latter has to ship out in WorldWarOne.

* Worf and Dax got married during the Dominion War in ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''.

* Buttercup and Ace have one in ''Fanfic/Pipeline''. Kevin, the UnreliableNarrator, muses that they're too young and desperate. Soon after, Buttercup gets pregnant, and they live happily for a bit. Eventually, [[spoiler: Buttercup experiences DeathByChildbirth as a result of Fusion poisoning]], and everyone wishes that "young and desperate" was half of their problems as more and more people die in battle.

* In ''IndependenceDay'', Steve and Jasmine marry at Area 51 the morning before the FinalBattle. Her son Dylan acts as ring-bearer.

* The Baby Boom after WorldWarII was basically the result of this.
** That and the Americans showing up.

War is a brutal, tragic thing. Expect plenty of {{Cruel And Unusual Death}}s and {{Tear Jerker}}s. The atmosphere of a lot of war stories is generally saddening and depressing, if not outright horrifying and peppered with AccidentalNightmareFuel. That said, when a writer thinks that enough is enough and that these poor characters need a bit of happiness in their lives without deviating from the somber war genre, then what better way to show that than have two characters get married?

** Bill and Fleur's wedding in the seventh book.

* In FatherGoose Cary Grant's character marries his love interest under fire after some truly inspired SlapSlapKiss while being strafed by the Japanese. The wedding night isn't any better