Is A Mega Wedding Right For You?

Lavish and Expensive Wedding

If you feel under pressure to spend lavishly on one perfect day because some of your friends have had an extravagant wedding day, you might want to pause and reconsider.  New research has found no positive correlation at all between having a big, expensive wedding and a successful marriage.

Two economics professors at Emory University in Atlanta did a study on the relationship between wedding expenses and marriage duration.  The study was based on the wedding budgets and marriage track records of more than 3,000 U.S. adults.  

After analyzing their data, the authors found that women whose weddings had cost more than $20,000 ended up getting divorced 60% more often than those whose weddings were cheaper.  How much weight should we place on this study?  It is only one study, and the authors themselves say the topic merits further research.

According to The Knot's most recent annual survey, the average U.S. wedding last year cost $29,858, or about 60% of the median household's income---up 11% since 2010.  Mega-weddings are becoming more common.  Last year, says The Knot, one wedding in 10 cost between $50,000 and $100,000; this number has jumped sharply in recent years.

Simple Wedding

The Emory research suggests that instead of spending more money but having fewer guests, we should be doing the opposite.

Because the above study reveals that the types of weddings associated with the lower likelihood of divorce are those that are relatively inexpensive but high in attendance, couples are trimming their guest list to an average of 138.

Brides are beginning to realize that the money that would be spent on a lavish and expensive wedding that lasts just one day and sometimes just hours can be spent on their diamond engagement ring that lasts forever.

Tacori Engagement Rings and Wedding Bands

Brides are becoming more aware that the day is only captured in photos and found memories while a nice size quality diamond is something they can enjoy for 50+ years of marriage.  By reducing the cost of the $29,858 wedding by one third to one half, the bride can have the big carat plus diamond she visualized of owning one day in a beautiful platinum designer mounting that she can pass down to a son or daughter, someday.  No matter what your budget, you need to think about spending most of the money on your diamond, the one item that lasts a lifetime!

Couples need to halt the rising pressure from media, family and friends to spend more on big weddings.  Your marriage is supposed to last forever just as a diamond lasts forever.  Spend your money on the one item, the diamond, that reminds you each and every day of your love, trust and commitment that you make to each other on your wedding day.

GemEx Sparkle Guarantee

See Arthur's beautiful, quality diamonds guaranteed for sparkle. Seeing the sparkle difference in an Arthur's Diamond helps you realize that there is a big difference between the ordinary and the extraordinary diamond.   When budgeting for your wedding, ask if the expense is for something you can treasure and appreciate for a lifetime.