A study by two economics professors at Emory University in Atlanta has found that the amount of money a couple spends on an engagement ring may reveal their chances of getting divorced.

The researchers surveyed 3,000 U.S. adults who either were in or had been in a heterosexual marriage about their wedding costs, ring costs, and marital status.

They found that men who spent $2,000–$4,000 on an engagement ring were 1.3 times more likely to get divorced than men who spent $500–$2,000. 

Men who spent less than $500 on a ring also had higher divorce rates, but men who spent more than $8,000 had lower divorce rates. 

Based on this data, the sweet spots for your customers if they want to optimize the chances that they will be together forever: $500–$2,000 or more than $8,000.

The study also looked at wedding costs and found that women whose weddings cost $20,000 or more were 3.5 times more likely to end up divorced than those who spent $5,000 to $10,000.

“Overall, our findings provide little evidence to support to the validity of the wedding industry’s general message that connects expensive weddings with positive material outcomes,” according to the study. 

The full study is available here.

JCK