Unless you think that things are always getting better, it is necessarily implied that some things were better in the past.
> Having such a marriage in this day and age is truly a luxury, reserved only for the deepest of lovers.
> Having such a marriage is truly a luxury, reserved only for the deepest of lovers.
One contains a positive claim that something is worse now than it was before, which I think invites dispute and is entirely unnecessary anyway. It's a fine sentiment without the judgement.