Kim Kardashian's wedding and subsequent divorce all happened within 72 days. (People/X17Online.com)
Just six months ago, Kim Kardashian started dating New Jersey Nets forward Kris Humphries.
Just last week, he surprised the reality star by popping the big question along with a 20.5 Carat Diamond dazzler.
Even mom Kris Jenner was caught off guard by her daughter’s sudden nuptial news.
“Kim dropped this bombshell and went to Europe for a couple of days. I mean, hello? So I have no idea what she's going to do (in terms of date and destination) but I'll find out in a couple of days,” Jenner told FOX411’s Pop Tarts on Thursday, while promoting her role as the new spokesperson for Skechers shoes. “But Kris and I have the same name, same spelling – kinda creepy, right? He automatically fits, so that's the good thing!"
Humphries also earned himself further brownie points by following tradition and first seeking parental permission to take Kim’s hand in marriage.
"He actually went to Bruce first. He asked Bruce to play golf, and I thought, "That's odd, why would he want to play golf? I didn't know he played golf?" They went to play and he asked Bruce, then they came back and he asked me,” Jenner revealed. “It's really such an honor, and he's such a sweet boy. He makes Kim really, really happy – we're thrilled."
But while the reality television family is gushing over the announcement, is a reality check needed here?
Not only are Kim, 30, and Kris, 26, still a relatively new couple, they are based on opposite ends of the country. For five of the six months they have known each other, he has been playing pro basketball, traveling around the country. And she is one of the hardest working women in show business with a multi-million dollar self-brand, fashion stores, spokesperson roles, television shows and producing gigs.
So is the holy union in trouble before the “I Do’s” have even been spoken?
“Romantic chemistry can take 1.2 seconds to ignite and it can feel like you have known each other forever and you’re soul mates. But having chemistry with someone is only a bond based on chemical attraction that can burst the moment someone in the relationship does something that doesn't make the other feel good anymore,” said Donna Sozio, dating expert and co-author of The Man Whisperer. “If this romance lacks emotional maturity, it is doomed from the start – especially if it is just based on feelings from mutual attraction which are flimsy at best and can change at any moment.”
And developing their relationship while under public scrutiny is tough.
“They don't know each other, but they are getting to know each other. And they are getting to know each other under high pressure (the cameras, the games, the high point of their careers) which might bond them,” Sozio continued. “But they might be bonding over the high of the adrenaline and the pressure of their busy lives. And once that is gone, so too might be the romance, the chemistry, and the relationship.”
Kardashian has never been shy about vocalizing her dream of getting married and flourishing a large family of her own – something she always envisioned herself doing with ex-beau Reggie Bush – so could she be rushing into things just a little too quickly?
“So many women rush to the altar and then realize no magic happened, and it can be a letdown if we realize the man we thought was Prince Charming turns out to be more like a stranger,” Sozio added. “Rushing is a risk, sometimes you get lucky – but most of the time, you get divorced.”
Perhaps part of the engagement haste has something to do with Kimmy K having learned from her little sis that weddings are good for business. After all, the episode featuring Khloe and Lamar Odom’s wedding drew a record number of eyeballs to their successful E! series, and the couple has since gone on to launch their own empire – starting with a self-titled spin-off show, and a fragrance line.
“Kim has seen the recipe for success with baby sister Khloe and Lamar who got married after only six weeks of dating. It’s an impulsive decision from Kim, but you can probably expect a ‘Kim & Kris’ reality show already in the works,” noted Evan Sneider, Spokesperson for dating site CanDoBetter.com. “Kris grew up in Minnesota and played basketball for several years in Utah, so it’s going to take some getting used to being married to Kim. Because of the living situation, I don’t think Kris has even really begun to realize how many camera’s and bright lights follow around Kim 24/7 and the impact it might have on their developing relationship.”
Marriage and family therapist Sloane Veshinski said that the abrupt engagement is probably just a sign that the couple (like Khloe and Lamar) clearly know what they want from life and love, and are prepared to take a leap of faith. But some words of wisdom from the pros wouldn’t go astray.
“In this age of new technologies, it is quite possible that through text, e-mail, Skype and occasional meetings that they found that they were well matched to move to the next level,” Veshinski said. “I wish them the very best and encourage pre-marital counseling to process the life issues that may not have yet been discussed but require serious conversation prior to the nuptials.”
Beverly Hills-based clinical psychologist Dr. Dahlia Keen, Psy. D, is also optimistic the marriage can and will work out despite the challenges of fame and fortune.
"Kim and her fiancé Kris have a great chance of making it despite their chaotic work schedules,” she said. “It’s the couple themselves that ignite chemistry not their their schedules. Their crazy time tables and dating rituals worked for their courtship and could endure successfully in their marriage."
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