Family law expert Baldish Khatkar, a partner and head of the family division with Birmingham solicitor's Young & Lee tells an all too common story of role reversal that is increasingly a feature of modern relationships.
Tammy is typical of many women today, independent, financially secure and a successful businesswoman,  owner of her own beauty salon in the West Midlands.
Her story is one of hard work, determination and a belief in herself to succeed. So it is not hard to understand why she would want to take out insurance to protect what is rightfully hers, when her partner Jay, who Tammy had met in Italy, asked her to marry him.
Jay and Tammy met and had a whirlwind holiday romance when Tammy took a much-needed holiday to Italy.
Jay was working as a waiter at one of the restaurants near to Tammy's hotel, and the couple spent as much time together as his job would allow. They continued their relationship once the holiday was over with Tammy returning to Italy to see Jay every opportunity she had.
It was on one of these visits that Jay proposed to Tammy over a romantic dinner for two, with the wine flowing Tammy agreed to be his wife.
Tammy thought it a love match but her family saw different and on her return to the West Midlands family and friends pointed out to her that the couple had not really had very much time to get to know one another and their relationship had been carried out between two countries.
The family were worried for her financial security should it all go badly wrong. She had worked so hard over the years, clawing herself out of debt to become more than comfortably off.
Tammy and Jay appeared to be very much in love but love must not be allowed to cloud a couple's mind when it comes to the long-term contract of marriage. This is especially true when one of the partners has more to lose than the other, should it all go sour after the honeymoon. With considerable reluctance Tammy was persuaded to come and see me about a prenuptial agreement. Tammy and Jay ultimately signed an agreement in sufficient time in advance of the wedding.
Sadly Tammy had been easy bait. The wealthy single woman, or in some cases it can of course happen to men too, away on holiday, somewhere hot and romantic falling into the all too familiar trap of the holiday romance blinded by the sun, sea and sex.
Jay wasn't looking for a long-term commitment, once married he soon discovered "love" was something he could get from elsewhere.
He was very happy to take what was on offer, including financial support from his wealthy wife when he could not get work in the UK.
The marriage lasted six months, before Tammy finally had to accept she had made a terrible mistake, one that could cost her everything she has worked so hard for.
A divorce was filed and although prenuptial agreements are not legally binding they are taken into account and when the case is heard later in the year I expect the agreement will enable Tammy to hold onto most if not all of her hard earned fortune.
One in three marriages fail and prenuptial agreements have been brought into the public eye by the case of the breakdown of the marriage of Paul and Heather McCartney.
They are not just for the super rich but are especially important in relationships where there is a big disparity between the assets each party brings into a marriage.
Prenuptial and cohabitation agreements are not unromantic but should be seen as sensible financial planning. They are like an insurance policy - no one takes out insurance in the expectation that the house will burn down.
For further advice contact: Adrian Kibbler MCIPR Telephone: 0121 459 6213 Mobile: 07831 690940 Website: www.akpr.ltd.uk
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