The Bigger the Engagement Ring, the Shorter the Marriage

Most people assume that, when it comes to engagement rings, bigger is always better. But according to new research, it turns out the complete opposite is true.

Researchers at Emory University studied 3,000 couples, comparing the size of the engagement ring to the length of their marriage. According to their findings, the larger the ring — and the bigger the wedding — the shorter the marriage is likely to be.

(Photo Credit: Giphy)

Here are the two main findings:

1. Men who spent $2,000 to $4,000 on engagement rings were 1.3 times more likely to end up divorced than men who spent $500 to $2,000. Women who received expensive engagement rings also experienced higher rates of divorce.

2. Women whose weddings cost $20,000 or more were 3.5 times more likely to end up divorced than women who spent $5,000 to $10,000. (According to The Knot, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is $30,000).

No research has been done yet on how many grooms-to-be have used the line, “I’ve chosen a small ring because I want our marriage to last,” but maybe that can be the next study.

In the meantime, many have suggested that the problem with big diamonds and big weddings is a psychological one; does spending less on a wedding mean the couple is focusing more on their upcoming marriage? Or does it mean that the couple is heading into marriage with less financial strain, not having spent big right out of the gate?

Either way, researchers have slammed the wedding industry for encouraging people to spend so much on their nuptials.

They said: “Our findings provide little evidence to support the validity of the wedding industry’s general message that connects expensive weddings with positive marital outcomes.”

But don’t call off your big wedding just yet. The researchers found that having more guests — not spending more money — led to longer marriages, as did having a honeymoon (even an inexpensive one!).

This post was written by Kayleigh Dray. For more, check out our sister site Closer.

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