$33,391
Is that how much a down payment on a house costs? What about the cost of a new vehicle?
Nope. It’s the average amount of money spent by American couples for their wedding day last year. This price doesn’t seem too outrageous if you were married last year. However, if you were married in the 70s, then you were spending the same amount of money on a wedding, house, and vehicle (inflation principles aside). Even outside of inflation, wedding costs have skyrocketed. Celebrations have often carried heavy financial investment throughout history. Why?
Because we spend money on things that we value, prioritize, or find meaning in.Â
It’s why we give to charity. Pay for reliable vehicles. Purchase quality clothing. Or even splurge on 3-ply bath tissue. Let’s pretend that someone will study your credit card statement in 200 years. What would it say about what you value (aside from wondering why there were so many Chick-Fil-A charges)? I’m getting a little off topic. Let’s get back to the marriage stuff.
How much money did you spend on getting prepared for your marriage? This could include counseling, conferences, seminars, books, etc. If you’re like me, it probably wasn’t 10% of your wedding budget. How much money is spent to nurture the relationship after the wedding? Trips and date nights probably cost more than the pre-marital amount, but less than the wedding cost.
You know where I’m going with this.
Nurturing your relationship is a heavy investment. First and foremost, it takes time. This means being intentional with your communication and presence during the 168 hours you have each week.
It takes physical and emotional energy. This means being physically and emotionally present in your interactions. Turn the tv off, log out of social media, and look at one another while talking.
Sometimes, it takes money. If you have $8 to purchase fast food, then you have $8 to spend on an date getting ice cream together. I’m not saying it takes a lot of money. Sometimes it’s more about the creativity than it is about the amount.
Sometimes, it’s going to take paying for a marriage counselor to help get your relationship where you both desire.
The reality is that you’re going to spend money nurturing your relationship or you’re going to spend money on a divorce; which on average costs more than a wedding, fyi. You’re going to spend time and energy on being apart or you’re going to spend time and energy being together.
At AWCC you’re going to find counselors who want your relationship to thrive. If you think your marriage is worth the financial investment of counseling, don’t hesitate to call us at 832-421-8714. We would love to help.