Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony: At the beginning of last year, these pairs were some of Hollywood’s most powerful and happy couples. America has painfully watched as each couple has separated sometime during the past year.

In the most recent divorce, the most heartbreaking in my opinion, Katy Perry and ex-beau Russell Brand decided to end their 14-month marriage after Brand filed for divorce on Dec. 31, citing irreconcilable differences.

It really makes me wonder if Hollywood weighs on these marriages or if the institution of marriage is just being abused by those in the limelight. Everyone has his or her own opinion concerning Humphries’ and Kardashian’s 72-day marriage, which cost about $10 million. The highly publicized wedding raked in about 4.2 million viewers, earning the couple an estimated profit of around $17 million.

Then again, we have couples like Moore and Kutcher, whose marriage lasted six years. After rumors swirled of Kutcher cheating on Moore with blonde bombshell Sara Leal, the two split in November.

In perhaps one of the most shocking splits of the year, J-Lo and Anthony parted ways in July, leaving 3-year-old twins Max and Emme with separated parents. The two seemed to be one of Hollywood’s most committed couples. Lopez seemed emotional about the separation, breaking into tears during a performance in October.

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that some of the highest-profile couples decided to split in 2011. With the American divorce rate steady around 50 percent, are the paparazzi embellishing these divorces, or is the spotlight simply too much for these couples?

Celebrities either need to stop getting married or stop getting divorced. I feel like there was so much pressure on Kardashian to get married that she made a square peg fit into a round hole. After following her for years on “Keeping up With the Kardashians” and watching her go through men like Reggie Bush, her Australian bodyguard Shengo and even potential interest Miles Austin, I felt like Humphries was just another guy.

Her short-lived marriage was a disappointment to many. I personally believe marriage is what you make of it. I hold marriage to be something that is sacred: a promise to someone. You don’t get married because you like someone or because you think you do.

Realistically, just because you kind of like someone doesn’t mean you should marry them. Watching all these couples break up is painstaking for many Americans, and I’m sure divorce isn’t easy. So maybe celebrities should stop taking marriage so lightly and they wouldn’t have to deal with divorce.