The price for a long and happy marriage is apparently a hefty £267,357, according to a survey from Quidco.
The cashback group surveyed 2,000 married couples of all ages and examined the cost of a lifetime of “wedded bliss” – including weddings, mini breaks, gifts and date nights.
It concluded that those in happy marriages spend an average of £21,257 laying the initial foundations of the marriage, including their dream wedding, rings and honeymoons, with more than half, at 52% stating they believed a dream wedding would set them up for a happy marriage.
But it doesn’t stop with the nuptials – according to the report, a marriage continues to benefit greatly from regular activities and romantic exchanges.
The study showed the happiest couples have an average of three date nights together a month, including meals, drinks and cinema trips – with an average spend of £39 per night, totalling some £117 per month or £1,404 per year.
But romantic nights in were also cited as a major aspect of a good relationship, with the average happy couple spending three romantic nights in together per month.
The average spend per romantic night in was £15.50 – including Netflix, movie downloads, takeaways, wine, beers and snacks, which comes in at some £558 per year.
And getting “date-ready” costs the average happy couple £267 per year, claims the report – with the majority of those in wedded bliss claiming to spend this amount on looking good for their other half.
The study also revealed time together with no children was integral to keeping a marriage alive. The average couple claimed one holiday a year and typically three mini breaks was optimum – the yearly spend totalling £2,337 per year.
Twice monthly gifts also made the list of secrets to a happy marriage – with a typical monthly spend £25.40 per month – £305 per year.
In terms of more lavish gifts, the yearly spend on jewellery amounted to £477 on average for the happiest couples – however a further 21% admitted they spent more than £1,000 a year on jewellery for their other half.
Vix Leyton, spokesperson for cashback and rewards site, Quidco said: “While the best things in life, in this case love, are free – ostentatious gestures to demonstrate it come at a cost. Half of people surveyed believe a dream wedding plays a part in setting you up for a strong marriage, but engaged couples need to keep a firm eye on budget when planning the big day to avoid starting their wedded life in debt.
“The good news is that by planning ahead, you can achieve a lot of the little touches that keep a relationship alive without breaking the bank. Booking holidays in advance, shopping around for the best deals and trying to keep a stash of savings specifically earmarked for ‘date nights’ and treats, can give you the margins you need for impulsive gestures like flowers and chocolates ‘just because’.”
But it’s not all about the monetary cost, as 82% said a strong marriage takes a lot of work, with both partners putting equal effort in transpiring as an important factor for 73 per cent of happy couples.
And although the average happy couple will shell out £266,897 overbite lifetime of their marriage, 84% recognised that money alone cannot buy a happy relationship.
Encouragingly an impressive 84 per cent of those polled said they were in a happy marriage