Wedding Expenses and Marital Satisfaction
Weddings today cost, on average, $25,000, before the honeymoon (TheKnot, 2015). A resent research shows that couples that spend the most and the least on the wedding expenses tend to be more likely to get divorced (Francis & Mialon, 2014). The researchers found that among women, high spending toward the wedding is inversely associated with marriage duration (Francis & Mialon, 2014). In other words, having a wedding that costs under $1,000, but has a large attendance at the wedding is better for the couples overall satisfaction and marriage duration. (Francis & Mialon, 2014). The focus of this study is to elaborate on the findings of the relationship between the amount spent on weddings and marital …show more content…
Emotional support as defined in an article by Jaccard and Ramey (1996) states, “Emotional support conveys that a person is valued for his or her own worth and experiences and is accepted. This type of support results in the enhancement of a person’s self-esteem” (Wan, Jaccard & Ramey, 1996, 502). A wedding is an occasion when two families become one in a new bond as well as a time for the couple to share their love for one another. But many say today that the reason for a big wedding is just for all the family to get to together. An article by Barnes looks at weddings as rituals. Over the years, the purpose of weddings has changed. Weddings first began with three functions: (1) serving a transitional rite for an individual moving from one life stage to the next, (2) providing reassurance that one is making the right choice for their partner and to have approval from family, and (3) bringing two families together into one (Barnes, 2014). However, according to Barnes (2014), one of these three functions has become more significant than before, the family value of marriage. Barnes quotes a few brides. One bride says, “The reasoning behind her having a large wedding was so that the family could get together because it doesn’t happen very often” (Barnes, 2014, 69). From whom the emotional support comes can also have an effect on the satisfaction of the marriage. Previous research shows that if social support comes from family rather than friends, it could be more crucial. So in a way, some couples are using weddings as a family reunion. This brings in more of that emotional support because of a concept called “kin selection”. Kin selection is the idea that behaviors that help a genetic relative are favored by natural selection (Aronson, Wilson & Akert, 2010). Weddings are becoming more about two families becoming one rather than the traditions and soul mate aspects.
Weddings today cost, on average, $25,000, before the honeymoon (TheKnot, 2015). A resent research shows that couples that spend the most and the least on the wedding expenses tend to be more likely to get divorced (Francis & Mialon, 2014). The researchers found that among women, high spending toward the wedding is inversely associated with marriage duration (Francis & Mialon, 2014). In other words, having a wedding that costs under $1,000, but has a large attendance at the wedding is better for the couples overall satisfaction and marriage duration. (Francis & Mialon, 2014). The focus of this study is to elaborate on the findings of the relationship between the amount spent on weddings and marital …show more content…
Emotional support as defined in an article by Jaccard and Ramey (1996) states, “Emotional support conveys that a person is valued for his or her own worth and experiences and is accepted. This type of support results in the enhancement of a person’s self-esteem” (Wan, Jaccard & Ramey, 1996, 502). A wedding is an occasion when two families become one in a new bond as well as a time for the couple to share their love for one another. But many say today that the reason for a big wedding is just for all the family to get to together. An article by Barnes looks at weddings as rituals. Over the years, the purpose of weddings has changed. Weddings first began with three functions: (1) serving a transitional rite for an individual moving from one life stage to the next, (2) providing reassurance that one is making the right choice for their partner and to have approval from family, and (3) bringing two families together into one (Barnes, 2014). However, according to Barnes (2014), one of these three functions has become more significant than before, the family value of marriage. Barnes quotes a few brides. One bride says, “The reasoning behind her having a large wedding was so that the family could get together because it doesn’t happen very often” (Barnes, 2014, 69). From whom the emotional support comes can also have an effect on the satisfaction of the marriage. Previous research shows that if social support comes from family rather than friends, it could be more crucial. So in a way, some couples are using weddings as a family reunion. This brings in more of that emotional support because of a concept called “kin selection”. Kin selection is the idea that behaviors that help a genetic relative are favored by natural selection (Aronson, Wilson & Akert, 2010). Weddings are becoming more about two families becoming one rather than the traditions and soul mate aspects.