Spending less on wedding leads to longer-lasting marriage

Study shows inverse relationship between divorce rate and number of guests at ceremony


News Desk October 21, 2014



A recent study has revealed that the amount of money spent on a wedding is indirectly proportional to the duration of the marriage. Helmed by Economics professors at Emory University, the research infers that couples that tend to spend less on their wedding ceremony go on to have longer-lasting marriages, reported CNN.


The study, co-authored by Hugo M Mialon and Andrew M Francis, explores the relationship between wedding spending and marriage durations by evaluating data from a survey of 3,000 people in the United States who have ever been married. “It could be that the types of couples who have a [cheap wedding] are the ones that are a perfect match for each other,” said Mialon.

According to the research paper titled A Diamond is Forever’ and Other Fairy Tales: The Relationship between Wedding Expenses and Marriage Duration, wedding industry revenues for 2014 are expected to exceed the $50-billion mark in the US alone.

“The wedding industry has long associated lavish weddings with longer-lasting marriages. Industry advertising has fuelled norms that create the impression that spending large amounts on the wedding is a signal of commitment or is necessary for a marriage to be successful,” commented Francis.

The research further stated that the greater the number of people who attend a wedding, the lower the rate of divorce. “This could be evidence of a community effect, that is, having more support from friends and family may help the couple to get through the challenges of marriage,” Francis said.

Despite the study’s results, Francis expressed uncertainty over the overall findings of his research and whether or not the general expense of a wedding could be connected to how a marriage unfolds.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2014.

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