For some couples, planning their dream wedding can involve spending a lot of cash.
Although the cost of the wedding will vary from couple to couple, in the United States the average cost of tying the knot is around $30,000. So you can imagine how long it'll take to save up that kind of dough.
But, for those who chose to go a cheaper route when planning their nuptials, we've got good news for you: you'll be more likely to stay together.
That's right, the more expensive your wedding is, the more likely you and your spouse will eventually head to splitsville.
The study
According to a study conduced by economic professors Andrew Francis-Tan and Hugo M. Mialon reveal that there are certain characteristics that will increase the chance couples will end up divorced.
The professors surveyed 3,000 married people and discovered that the price of the engagement ring and the overall cost of the wedding plays a significant role in a marriage duration. In fact, it's nearly as important to a person as is their partner's looks.
"Specifically, in the sample of men, spending between $2,000 and $4,000 on an engagement ring is associated with 1.3 times greater hazard of divorce as compared to spending between $500 and $2,000," the paper reads.
The research also states that if a ceremony costs less than $1,000, there will be a massive decrease in the probability a couple will end their relationship, while if a wedding cost more than $20,000, the likelihood they'll separate will be 1.6 times higher.
Luckily, the cost of one's honeymoon doesn't play a factor in the length of a couple's marriage, and is "significantly associated with a lower hazard of divorce."
But, as previously mentioned, the study also found that a person's physical attraction to their spouse also plays a huge factor in how long a couple will stay together.
"Reporting that one's partner's looks were important in the decision to marry is significantly associated with shorter marriage duration," Mialon revealed.
The secret to staying together
Although the price of a union has the potential to determine if a couple will stay together, they won't necessary dictate if your union will actually last.
While celebrities will often share the secrets to keeping their relationship in tact, scientists have spent years researching the secret to a happy marriage.
A study published in Family Therapy back in 2001, which surveyed 15 heterosexual couples who've been married for 35 years or more, determined that that along with love, a genuine friendship with their spouse was a key factor in maintaining a healthy relationship.
"Friendship and love, among several other factors, appear to be not only a benefit of the long-term marriage, but a cause," the study reads. "The responses of the fifteen couples in this study indicate a marriage that is woven together tightly due to similarities that may have existed in the beginning, or perhaps have developed through the years together."
In a separate study titled, The long-term marriage: perceptions of stability and satisfaction, it was revealed that love, similar backgrounds or interests, and friendship were the primary reasons that the surveyed relationships stayed in tact for so many years.
It was also proven that despite a short adjustment period, having children will more likely strengthen a couple's bond. Another significant factor that added to a marriage's longevity is the spouses' mutual understanding of what their union means to them.
"A long-term and satisfying marriage is not merely a matter of finding someone who can make you happy," the authors conclude. "It is a matter of two people who have a shared understanding of what their marriage means for them."
How elaborate was your wedding? Let us know in the comments!
