Men Who Spend Over This Amount On An Engagement Ring Are More Likely To Get Divorced, Finds Study
New Africa | Shutterstock A 2014 study, "A Diamond is Forever' and other Fairy Tales: The Relationship Between Wedding Expenses and Marriage Duration" by Emory University, economic professors Andrew M. Francis and Hugo M. Mialon found that the more money a couple spent on their wedding and especially their engagement rings, the more likely they were to divorce.
That doesn't exactly correlate with what most brides-to-be want, it seems, but they're going to have to take a more fiscally responsible view to avoid splitsville. Diamonds are undoubtedly beautiful, and they've long been a symbol of love and romance. The ancient Romans and Greeks believed that diamonds were tears cried by the Gods or splinters from falling stars. Isn't that beautiful? Romans also believed that Cupid's arrows were tipped with diamonds (possibly the first known association between diamonds and love). But spending more than you should isn't a measure of love, and in the case of couples just starting out, budget-friendly is definitely the way to go.
A study found that men who spend between $2700 and $5400 on an engagement ring are more likely to get divorced.
PeopleImages | Shutterstock
3,370 American adults (who have been married at some point in their lives) were surveyed, and the researchers discovered that participants who had spent a ton of money on engagement rings and/or their weddings were more likely to end up divorced.
The study, which took place in 2014, found that men who spent $2,000 to $4,000 on engagement rings were 1.3 times more likely to end up divorced than men who spent $500 to $2,000. Women who received expensive engagement rings also experienced higher rates of divorce. Thanks to inflation, those numbers have gone up in 2026. Now, spending between $2,700 and $5,400 increases the divorce rate.
Spending too little on the ring could spell trouble for a marriage, too.
Dragana Gordic | Shutterstock
The researchers also found that women whose weddings cost $20,000 ($27,000 in 2026) or more were 3.5 times more likely to end up divorced than women who spent $5,000 ($6,800) to $10,000 ($13,600). Wow!
So, it isn't good for a marriage to spend too much on a ring or the wedding. But the study also found that it wasn't good to spend too little. You just can't win, can you?
If the man spent less than $500 ($680) on the ring, there was a higher likelihood of divorce. But just to mess with an already frazzled bride and groom-to-be, if $1,000 ($1,369) or less was spent on a wedding, that significantly reduced the risk of divorce, meaning elope or go down to the courthouse if you really want your marriage to last.
Financial stress can wreak havoc on relationships, especially couples just starting their lives together.
But why would the expense of the ring and/or the wedding mean bad times ahead for the marriage? The authors hypothesize that the connection between super-expensive weddings and engagement costs could gift the bride and groom with a lot of financial stress that could affect the couple and their relationship.
Some couples, determined to spare no cost even though they couldn't afford it, would suffer the consequences in their marriage. Financial stress is known to be a marriage-killer. Erin Lowry, a millennial personal finance expert and author of the book "Broke Millennial," told Zola, “While I often see shades of grey in personal finance conversations, weddings are one area where I take a very firm stance. You should not go into debt for your wedding.”
Guess what? The cost of the ring is included in those wedding expenses. An engagement ring is supposed to be a symbol of your never-ending love, not a major stressor in your marriage. If the idea of settling for a smaller ring upsets you, take heart. You can and will likely upgrade for an anniversary when you are more financially secure. It's something special to look forward to!
Christine Schoenwald is a writer, performer, and astrology lover. She's had articles in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, and Woman's Day.
