Newlyweds do not hesitate to invest big for the big day. However, a study warns against the temptation to take out too large a portfolio. By wanting to shine too much, some people end up separating more quickly than expected.
A flamboyant marriage does not guarantee a solid couple. Researchers from Emory University in Georgia interviewed more than 3,000 people who had gone through the marital adventure and the conclusion was surprising: the more you spend, the more likely you are to separate. The trigger? The financial pressure that sets in, creeps into everyday life and ends up weighing on the bond. The study doesn’t say that luxury kills love, but it does show that the bill can become an invisible, slowly corrosive burden.
For their investigation, the researchers explored expenses related to both the jewelry and the ceremony. They drew a clear comparison between those who bet big and those who stay reasonable. For engagement rings, for example, spending more does not equate to happiness. Result: men who have invested more in this symbolic jewel have a higher divorce rate. People who spend less seem to offer their relationship a more solid way out, without this permanent tension linked to money.
The study also highlights that discussions around the price of marriage often turn into incomprehension, fiscal priorities are undermined, projects are presented as ridiculous, in short, all of this gradually erodes the couple’s complicity. The data on the subject is precise. If, until now, we readily thought that a nice budget, flowers, a perfect dress and a memorable party were the keys to a good start, the study shows that a wedding costing more than 17,000 euros is 3.5 times more likely to end in divorce.
Furthermore, beyond this observation, the study highlights a simple psychological mechanism: by investing too much, we set the bar very high, and the couple thinks they are stuck. Marriage becomes the sum of efforts, sacrifices and compromises that one should make. Therefore, if everyday life does not correspond to this festive day, the gap between expectation and reality produces disappointment. Two contacts that invite us to rethink the couple’s emotional and financial investment. Because, if you also have to pay for the divorce afterwards, the bill risks being particularly steep!
