LOVE: Cheaper wedding, happier couple

CATERING BY TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

Cutting back costs on your wedding might save you more than just money.

A study by two economic professors at Emory University, Andrew Francis and Hugo Mialon, found that couples who spend less on their wedding are more likely to have longer-lasting marriages than those who have a more expensive wedding.

More specifically, the study shows that couples who spend $20,000 or more on their wedding have a 1.6 times higher risk of divorce, and those who spend $1,000 or less have a significantly decreased likelihood of divorce.

According to a wedding website, The Knot, the average wedding cost was $34,000 in 2018.

Although authors of the study did not give an explanation for the results, they proposed that weddingrelated debt might cause stress on the couple, resulting in an unhappy marriage.

The study also found that couples who have more guests at their wedding, and go on a honeymoon, tend to stay married longer.

Whether you spend a lot or a little, it is important to remember the purpose of the wedding, which is to celebrate the beginning of two lives coming together in marriage.

Associated with higher chance of divorce:

• Greater differences in age and education between the husband and wife • Couples who say their partner’s looks were important in the decision to marry • Higher wedding expenses

Associated with lower chance of divorce:

• Relatively high household income • Regularly attending religious services • The couple having a child with each other • High wedding attendance • Going on a honeymoon • Lower wedding expenses