Couples who spend less on their weddings tend to stay together longer, according to a study by Emory University. Divorce rates were 1.6 times higher for those who spent more than $20,000 on their weddings than for those who spent between $5,000 and $10,000. The study also found a correlation between having large numbers of wedding guests and marriage longevity. The researchers speculated that the financial debt from an expensive wedding could put a strain on newlyweds.
A big, expensive wedding may be the dream of many engaged couples, but it’s hardly a guarantee of marital bliss, according to two business professors at Emory University who conducted a study of marriage longevity rates. After controlling for a number of demographic and relationship factors, they found that couples who spend less on their weddings typically stay together longer. In fact, divorce rates among those who spent more than $20,000 USD on their marriages were 1.6 times higher than those who spent between $5,000 and $10,000. According to the study, truly thrifty couples who managed to get their big day done for less than $1,000 had lower-than-average divorce rates. While the researchers weren’t trying to determine the reasons for this correlation, they speculated that the large financial debt from an expensive wedding could put a strain on newlyweds, or it could simply be that the more frugal couples were always better matched. They also found a correlation between having large numbers of wedding guests and marriage longevity, suggesting that support from family and friends can help marriages succeed. The study involved more than 3,000 married and ex-married people in the United States.
Tie (and untie) the knot:
The marriage rate in America has dropped from 72 percent in 1960 to about 50 percent today.
On the other hand, divorce rates have also decreased; couples married in the 1990s are more likely to stay together longer than those who were married in the previous two decades.
In 1477, Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave his fiancée, Mary of Burgundy, the first known diamond engagement ring.
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