
Can the Cost of Your Wedding Predict the Likelihood of Divorce?
On Behalf of Law Offices of Michael A. Robbins | Aug 8, 2018 | Uncategorized |
Many Michigan couples plan elaborate weddings and spend tens of thousands of dollars. With the recent royal wedding, numerous engaged couples are thinking about their own ceremonies and celebrations, and considering whether it is worth the cost to spend a significant amount of money on an event that will last for just one day. According to an article in The Economist, spending substantially more on wedding day expenses could end up meaning that you are more likely than other couples to get divorced at some point in the future. That information comes from research published in a paper by scholars at Emory University and National University of Singapore.
While it might sound unlikely, the data does suggest that couples who spend a lot on flashier weddings may be more likely to file for divorce later on in life.
How Wedding Spending and Marriage Duration May Be Related
The study looked at about 3,000 married couples in the United States, and it took steps to control for factors such as demographics and particular characteristics of the relationship. According to the researchers, there is “evidence that marriage duration is inversely associated with spending on the engagement ring and wedding ceremony.” In other words, the more you spend on the wedding and the festivities surrounding it, the less likely it may be that your marriage will last.
According to the article, couples who got married in the United States in 2017 spent an average of $26,000 on the wedding. In total, weddings cost more than $56 billion last year at about 2.2 million wedding ceremonies. To put that figure another way, the total cost of all weddings in the U.S. last year totaled “more than the annual GDP of half the countries of the world.” And that figures represents a decline in the average price tag of a wedding these days. To be sure, “a typical couples spends 6% less on nuptials than they did in 2008, after accounting for inflation.”
Couples Who Spend More on Wedding May be More Concerned About Image
The most expensive item for most couples is food, which averages about $4,700, yet the average cost for a wedding ring is $3,400. The research we mentioned was conducted a few years ago now, but subsequent surveys have come to the same conclusion – planning a “pricey spectacle” may mean that spouses are less committed to one another and more committed to the image of the marriage. Not only does the cost of an expensive wedding take a toll on a marriage and risk resulting in later financial problems, but it could also be a sign of early problems in the relationship.
What are the takeaways? Most notably, “couples who spent more than $30,000 on their nuptials [are] more likely to worry about impressing their guests and looking their best than those with budgets of under $10,000.” In short, “money can’t buy you love,” the article emphasizes.
Discuss Your Case with a Michigan Divorce Lawyer
Getting divorced in Michigan can be complicated, but an experienced Michigan divorce attorney can assist with your case. Contact the Law Offices of Michael A. Robbins to learn more about the services we provide to clients who need help with a wide variety of divorce issues.
Recent Posts
Archives
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
Categories
RSS Feed
Let us help you

Contact The Firm
3910 Telegraph Road
Suite 200
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
Phone: 248-646-7980
Fax: 248-646-7989