Articles from Michael Becker

Cost of the Ring and Wedding may Predict Divorce

Emory University researchers surveyed over 3,100 people who were or had been married, and found that spending more on the engagement ring/wedding cor-related with higher divorce rates.

Specifically, people who spent $2,000 to $4,000 on rings were 1.3 times more likely to be divorced than those who spent between $500 and $2,000.

Also, people whose weddings cost over $20,000 were 1.6 times more likely to divorce than those who spent $5,000 to $10,000. The average cost is around $30,000.

The researchers think that spending a lot on a ring or wedding — without being able to really afford it — causes financial stress. This then strains the marriage and leads to divorce.

This runs counter to the wedding industry, which generally connects expensive rings and weddings with happier marriages.

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