The Marriage Foundation conducted a survey of 2,000 people aged 30 or over, asking them about the cost and size of their weddings. One of the main findings was that in weddings which cost over £20,000, the risk of divorce was higher than those who spent less on their big day. Around 10% of marriages which breached this threshold had ended within just three years.  

 

At first glance, this conclusion seems to make sense. By splurging so much on just one day, couples risk saddling themselves with debt. And as other studies have shown, financial worries are one of the main reasons for marriages ending.  

 

There’s also the issue of sky-high expectations for the wedding itself. By spending so much, couples could be putting too much pressure on themselves to plan a ‘fairytale’ wedding. The focus is on the day itself, rather than the marriage that comes afterwards.  

 

Factoring second marriages into the equation 

 

But is there something missing from this picture? In a recent Guardian article, columnist Zoe Williams points to other data from the Marriage Foundation research which could be skewing the overall findings.  

 

The study also found that second marriages are much more likely to last than first ones. Around 45% of first marriages end in divorce, compared to 31% for people marrying a second time. Many people in second marriages can’t afford an expensive fairytale celebration, whether because of a costly divorce settlement or perhaps even the debt left over from the first wedding.  

 

Williams believes that people in second marriages tend to be more cautious, and its these lessons learned rather than the money spent on a wedding which makes a difference to whether the relationship lasts.  

 

Does the average wedding really cost £30,000? 

 

It’s widely touted that the average UK wedding costs as much as £30,000, but the Marriage Foundation believes that this figure is inflated by the wedding industry.  

 

According to wedding service Hitched, the average cost of tying the knot rose substantially in just one year, from 2020 to 2021. It was £9,100 in 2020, rising to £17,300 a year later. This is likely to do with couples who had to delay their weddings due to the pandemic wanting bigger, restriction-free celebrations.  

 

But the Marriage Foundation’s new study found that the average spend is now around £5,000 to £10,000. Couples are also having fewer guests at their weddings. Research shows that the average number of attendees at first weddings in the 1950s was 50, rising to a peak of 80 in the 1990s – the number has now dropped back down to 50 since 2017. 

 

Need help with divorce? Whether it’s splitting finances fairly or making arrangements in the best interests of your children, our Wirral divorce solicitors are on hand to offer reliable, practical advice. Get in touch for a free consultation.