A big, expensive wedding might be the dream of many engaged couples, but it’s certainly not a guarantee of marital bliss, according to two economics professors at Emory University who carried out a study on marriage longevity rates. After controlling for a variety 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 weddings were 1.6 times higher than those who spent between $5,000 and $10,000. Truly thrifty couples who managed to pull off their big day for less than $1,000 had lower-than-average divorce rates, according to the study. While the researchers weren’t looking to determine the reasons for this correlation, they speculated that the big financial debt from a costly wedding could put a major strain on newlyweds, or it could simply be that the more frugal couples were better matched all along. They also found a correlation between having a large number of wedding guests and marriage longevity, suggesting that support from family and friends can help marriages to succeed. The study involved more than 3,000 married and formerly-married people in the United States.
Tying (and untying) the knot:
The marriage rate in America has dropped from 72 percent in 1960 to approximately 50 percent today.
On the other hand, divorce rates have also dropped; couples married in the 1990s are more likely to stay together longer than those who wed in the previous two decades.
In 1477, Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave his fiancée, Mary of Burgundy, the first known diamond engagement ring.