(CNN) -- If you're serving burgers and Bud Light at your backyard wedding, don't worry. You and your spouse may have the last laugh.
A new study found that couples who spend less on their wedding tend to have longer-lasting marriages than those who splurge. The study, by two economics professors at Emory University, found a similar correlation between less-expensive engagement rings and lower divorce rates.

The study's authors didn't examine why, although they floated a few theories.
"It could be that the type of couples who have a ... (cheap wedding) are the type that are a perfect match for each other," said Professor Hugo M. Mialon, who co-authored the study with Andrew M. Francis.

"Or it could be that having an inexpensive wedding relieves young couples of financial burdens that may strain their marriage," he said.

The research was based on a detailed survey completed by 3,151 adults in the United States who are, or have been, married. The authors believe theirs is the first academic study to examine the correlation between wedding expenses and the length of marriages.

Specifically, the study found that women whose wedding cost more than $20,000 divorced at a rate roughly 1.6 times higher than women whose wedding cost between $5,000 and $10,000. And couples who spent $1,000 or less on their big day had a lower than average rate of divorce.

The study won't be cheered by the booming wedding industry, which encourages couples to spend freely on everything from invitations and flowers to videographers and Champagne. Couples in the United States spent an average of $29,858 for their big day in 2013 -- a record high -- according to a survey of 13,000 brides and grooms by wedding website TheKnot.com.

"The wedding industry has long associated lavish weddings with longer-lasting marriages. Industry advertising has fueled norms that create the impression that spending large amounts on the wedding is a signal of commitment or is necessary for a marriage to be successful," Francis told CNN in an e-mail.
"Overall, our findings provide little evidence to support the validity of the wedding industry's general message that connects expensive weddings with positive marital outcomes," he said.

Planning a wedding? In addition to slashing costs, you might want to invite those extra co-workers and far-flung cousins, too. The Emory study also found that the greater the number of people who attend a wedding, the lower the rate of divorce.

"This could be evidence of a community effect, i.e., having more support from friends and family may help the couple to get through the challenges of marriage," Francis said. "Or this could be that the type of couples who have a lot of friends and family are also the type that tend not to divorce as much."

Specifically, the study found that women whose wedding cost more than $20,000 divorced at a rate roughly 1.6 times higher than women whose wedding cost between $5,000 and $10,000. And couples who spent $1,000 or less on their big day had a lower than average rate of divorce.

Large amounts of $ for wedding = Vanity

Vain Women/Men = Divorce


Low amounts of $ for wedding = Wedding about real Love

Real Love between Man/Woman = No Divorce


As someone who might be getting married soon, if anyone has any advice on how to keep wedding costs down, I would greatly appreciate it!

Quote from: tdrev123

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Specifically, the study found that women whose wedding cost more than $20,000 divorced at a rate roughly 1.6 times higher than women whose wedding cost between $5,000 and $10,000. And couples who spent $1,000 or less on their big day had a lower than average rate of divorce.

Large amounts of $ for wedding = Vanity

Vain Women/Men = Divorce


Low amounts of $ for wedding = Wedding about real Love

Real Love between Man/Woman = No Divorce


As someone who might be getting married soon, if anyone has any advice on how to keep wedding costs down, I would greatly appreciate it!

All you need is the couple, the priest, and two witnesses to sign the docuмents.

Your forgetting about the 100 angry relatives who expect a reception...And the couple who wants to celebrate their wedding with food, family, and dancing (Although I would rather skip that and go straight to the Hotel, but I know better)

I had 24 guests at my wedding, all friends and family of my wife.  After a Latin Mass in the French Church of St.Louis which is in Central Moscow, right behind the Lubyanka prison and KGB HQ, we hired Brezhnev's former ZIL limousine and 3 other cars and went around Moscow taking photographs at various sites.  It was October but the weather was exceptionally warm and sunny.  Ended up in Red Square taking more photographs and our guest were firing Russian "Champinski" corks 50- 100 feet across the square at the groom, page boy and I who were trying to catch them in our top hats.

Russians tourists in Moscow for the first time (regional peasants basically) came up and asked to have their pictures taken with us as we three were wearing a Top Hat and tails.  We have pictures with strangers from Kazakstan and Magadan in our photo album.  They look every it as exotic as some award winning National Geographic cover.

Hired a large private room in restaurant and stayed there eating and drinking till the early hours.  Lots of Karaoke and lots of dancing.  Total bill was about $5000, but that was 1999 and the Russian economy was in a hole.  Best money I ever spent.  My wife's friends still talk about it today as the most memorable wedding they have ever been to.  Our kids watch the video and laugh themselves silly.

My view is that you should spend enough money on a wedding to make it a memorable occasion in your life.  I've been to weddings some cheap, and some very expensive, which are instantly forgettable which is a waste of money and opportunity.

A friend of mine got married in the summer and needed to accommodate about 50 guests.  He didn't have much money for it, at all, so hiring anywhere in London was out of the question.  I told him that rather than have it in a dump he would be better off going to a Royal Park.  So they got married in a central London Church and walked to Hyde Park where they had a picnic in a secluded spot.  Weather was sunny and warm, sky was blue, we had frisbees and other toys to play with and keep the many children entertained.  I advised him to splash out on the food and not just buy sandwiches but get really nicely made finger food like pork pies, salmon, mini quiches, pate and other fancy stuff from a fancy deli.  Food was FAR better than the average wedding because it was from posh London supermarkets that cater for the rich.  We brought our own booze and some collapsible picnic tables.  It was great.  I think he spent just over 1000 dollars on the entire thing.  Plenty to drink, really delicious food, good company, kids entertained and out of your hair, what more do you need.

So I think there is a balance to be struck.  Sure, cut your coat to suit your cloth.  Don't go into debt over the wedding.  But at the same time, don't penny pinch to save a few hundred dollars here and there where it makes no sense.  Nobody wants ordinary food at a wedding and it is not very expensive to give them something really tasty that they will remember.  Jesus after all did not make ordinary wine at the wedding in Cana.

Women tend to cate about these things more than men.  My wife is always the one to get out the wedding photos and put the DVD on every October.  It's a foolish and immature man who thinks that the vast majority of women don't want a memorable wedding with a bit of splash.

Talk it through with her and decide where you get the best bang for your bucks.