Study: Big Honking Engagement Rings Are a Bad Marriage Omen

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Maybe we're all going to want dainty engagement rings? In a recent study covered in Shape magazine, Emory University analyzed survey responses of 3,000 people throughout the country to see if there's a correlation between wedding costs (like engagement rings) and the duration of a marriage. According to the study, men who spent between $2,000 and $4,000 on an engagement ring were 1.3 times more likely to get divorced than those who spend between $500 and $2,000. An FYI to would-be cheapskates: spending less than $500 on an engagement ring is linked to higher divorce rates, too.

Dropping a ton of money on a wedding also isn't indicative of a long-lasting marriage. Those who ponied up more than $20,000 for their wedding were linked to significantly higher divorce rates than those who spent between $5,000 and $10,000, Shape says. Couples that spent less than $1,000 on their wedding were associated with the lowest risk of divorce.

The Federalist looked at the same study and finds an interesting quote:

... greater differences in age and education between husband and wife and reporting that one's partner's looks were important in the decision to marry are both significantly associated with a higher hazard of divorce. On the other hand, relatively high household income, regularly attending religious services, having a child with one's partner, relatively high wedding attendance, and going on a honeymoon are all significantly associated with a lower hazard of divorce. Thus, the evidence suggests that the types of weddings associated with lower likelihood of divorce are those that are relatively inexpensive but are high in attendance.

Essentially, the financial stress of a big wedding could affect divorce rates. Emory explains: "If wedding expenditures are indeed associated with debt stress, then it is possible that wedding expenses raise the likelihood of marital dissolution given that prior literature suggests a link between economic stress and marital dissolution." So, hedge your bets by filling said wedding with a ton of friends, and going out of town immediately after.
· Study Shows Engagement Ring Cost Linked to Divorce [Shape]
· Want To Be Happy For The Rest Of Your Life? Have A Big, Cheap Wedding [The Federalist]
· Vogue: Diamond Engagement Rings Are So Basic [Racked]
· Where Satomi Kawakita Crafts Her Teeny Tiny Diamond Jewelry [Racked]