Expensive wedding = higher divorce rate | Nudge Newsletter ๐Ÿง 


Money can't buy love.

Expensive weddings = higher divorce rate.

Why?

Well perhaps it's due to the hedonic treadmill.

The hedonic treadmill refers to the constant pursuit of happiness and the belief that material possessions will bring that happiness.

However, as we acquire more material possessions or experiences, the happiness they bring becomes fleeting and short-lived.

The same principle can be applied to expensive weddings.

Many couples believe that an extravagant wedding will bring them happiness and a strong foundation for their marriage.

They invest thousands of dollars into the wedding day, from the venue and catering to the dress and decorations.

However, studies have shown that the more money spent on a wedding, the higher the divorce rate.

Correlation does not = causation, but maybe there's something in this.

Cheers,

Phill Agnew

Nudge Newsletter

I spend 18 hours each week turning marketing psychology into readable newsletters.

Read more from Nudge Newsletter

The Anchoring Effect Read online "๐˜š๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ: ๐˜•๐˜ฐ๐˜ต ๐˜ฒ๐˜ถ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜”๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ๐˜ช๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ฃ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ ๐˜Ž๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฎ๐˜ด๐˜ฃ๐˜บ." Why does this line work? Well, it's due to a great use of the ๐š๐ง๐œ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ž๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐ž๐œ๐ญ. Anchoring = "๐˜๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ฑ๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜ช๐˜ต ๐˜ข๐˜จ๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ด๐˜ต." In a 2022 studyยน, 404 shoppers tested how reference prices affect perceived value. When Ben & Jerryโ€™s ($3.99 for 16oz) was shown next to Walmartโ€™s cheaper $1.99 tub, only 27% rated Ben & Jerry's as great value. But when paired with a costlier $4.99 Halo...

Goal Dilution Effect Read online Keen listeners of Nudge will have heard Richard Shotton explain how Five Guys succeeded because they limited the number of items on their menu. Taken from Shotton's episode in late 2025. They focused on just burgers and chips. That helped them improve and benefit from economies of scale. But it also helped them psychologically, due to the goal dilution effect. Here's why: In a 2007 study by Zhang and Fishbachยน, participants were given information about how...

Pratfall Effect Read online A few months ago on Reddit, someone asked, "Is this the best Black Friday marketing campaign?" Personally, I think it's disingenuous garbage, but clearly, something about this type of ad resonates with some. And it might be because of the first two words. "We're sorry." In 2024ยน a number of researchers from Belgium ran four experiments. They tested what happened when a company apologised for a trivial mistake. In one study, participants were shown an email from a...