Saying your “I do’s” on Valentine’s day may sound like a romantic idea but economists have recently discovered that couples who tie the knot on this day as well as special number- dates are more likely to end up in Splitsville.
Based on a new working paper by economists at the University of Melbourne, lovebirds who choose to get married on Valentine’s day or special-number dates are 18 to 36% more likely to file a divorce compared to couples who get married on ordinary dates.
Their findings also showed that 11% of those who get married on Valentine’s day are already divorced by their fifth anniversary. Moreover, 21% of them are doomed to live separate lives by their 9th anniversary.
They also found that couples whose weddings take place on same number dates such as 08/08/08 aren’t that lucky when it comes to love. They found that 10% of them have called it quits five years after their wedding, while 19% have broken up nine years on.
Interestingly, only 8% of those who tie the knot on ordinary date weddings end up in divorce five years on, while 16% divorce rate was observed on their ninth anniversary.
According to co-author Professor David Ribar, couples who tie the knot on special dates were more likely to have been married before as well as more likely to have offsprings already.
“We also found that spouses who married on special dates were less alike, in terms of education and ages, than spouses who married on ordinary dates,” co-author Dr Jan Kabátek said.
Meanwhile, Professor Ribar believes that couples who say their “I do’s” on ordinary dates are more strongly influenced by the characteristics of their relationships as well as their compatibility.
How is Valentine’s Day celebrated in the Philippines?
Also known as Araw ng mga Puso, Valentine’s day in the Philippines is celebrated similar to how they do it in the West making it one of the most commercialized occasion of the year. During days leading to the special occassion, prices of chocolates and flowers steadily increase.