Weddings in California can be expensive, but whether a couple spends a few hundred dollars on their special day or tens of thousands, most believe that the outcome is the same — the celebration of the start to a happy marriage. A recent study showed that this line of thinking might not be accurate. Researchers discovered that the more couples spent on their wedding, the higher their chances of divorce were.
Researchers included over 3,000 individuals from all across America in the study. They asked participants several questions, including ones about their marital status, number of children, education level and the cost of their engagement ring and wedding. If they were divorced, researchers asked about the length of their marriage.
They concluded that couples who spent anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 on the engagement ring and over $20,000 on their wedding day were more likely to divorce when compared to their peers who spent less. Specifically, a man who spends between $5,000 and $10,000 on his wedding is twice as likely to divorce as a man who spent less than $1,000. Money was not the only factor found to increase divorce rates. Participants who told researchers that their partner’s looks played a large role in the decision to marry were also more likely to have shorter marriages.
Understanding the contributing factors of a divorce might be helpful for some people in California. However, understanding the legal process that is divorce is also extremely important. Since California is a community property state, marital assets — including debt — are divided 50/50, which can be complicated if not handled properly.
