While many couples continue to fantasize of a lavish wedding day to mark what could be the most special day of their lives, a new study reveals that the more costs the couple incurs during the wedding day alone, the higher the risk of their marriage to fall apart.
Economics professors Andrew Francis-Tan and Hugo Mialon did a survey from 3,000 married people and the results have shown that there are several characteristics that increases the likelihood of failed marriage as shared by The Independent.
One of the many factors that the researchers looked into is the amount that the couples poured in for their engagement rings. “Specifically, in the sample of men, spending between $2,000 and $4,000 (Php 104,000 – 208,000) on an engagement ring is associated with 1.3 times greater hazard of divorce as compared to spending between $500 and $2,000 (Php 26,000 – 104,000),” the paper reads.
Another factor that the researchers noticed is the costs of the wedding ceremony. Those whose weddings cost less than $1000 (Php 52,000) showed a significant decrease in the likelihood of separation. The results show a huge difference ompared to those couples who spent around or more than $20,000 (Php 1,042,800) as the likelihood of separation increased by 1.6 times for women.
On an interesting note, one of the few expenditures which lowered the risks of separation was going to a honeymoon. The researchers found that couples who went for a honeymoon is “significantly associated with a lower hazard” from thoughts of divorce.
The studies conclude that instead of spending so much on rings and the ceremonies, it might be better to spend money and quality time between couples on a private, post-wedding getaway.
