DDB Life Style Study: Does Everyone Marry for Love?

June ushers in the eagerly anticipated start of the summer and, with
that, one of the most popular months of the year to get married.
Traditionally, June has been a popular time because it follows high
school and college graduations, which are clear rites of passage into
adulthood. Additionally, it is said that many couples prefer June
because the weather is mild enough to enjoy outdoor venues but not
so hot that wearing gowns and tuxedos becomes uncomfortable.
Whatever the reasons why so many betrothed couples favor June to set
their nuptials, we thought that with weddings on so many minds and
social calendars, it would be timely to look at data from the DDB Life
Style Study about marriage. The question we considered was simple:
does everyone marry for love?
Among US Adults* who are married, 92% describe themselves as
happily married and 66% report that being involved in a romantic
relationship is important for their happiness. What is clear from our
data, however, is that not all people marry for love. In fact, our survey
results indicate that among adults whether single or married 13%
confess they would marry somebody they liked, but didnt love, if they
thought it was their only chance to get married. Even more surprising
is that 20% admit they would marry somebody for their money.
With these statistics in mind, we couldnt help but wonder: who are
these people who would settle for less than love and marry for like
and who are the people who would trade love for money? More
broadly, are these folks more likely than others to want a prenuptial
agreement?
Using data collected from single adults, we find that 11% say they
would settle for less and marry somebody they liked, but didnt love, if
they thought it was their only chance to marry. 60% of those who
would settle are male, 60% are white and 50% are of the millennial
generation. They tend to be slightly below average in terms of the US
median household income (HHI), with 64% reporting HHI of less than
$50,000. Unlike married people, for whom a romantic relationship is
vital to their happiness, among those who say they would marry for
like, only 55% indicate that being involved in a romantic relationship
is important for them to be happy. In addition to their willingness to
marry for like, they are significantly more likely than other singles to
also admit they would marry somebody for their money (40% v. 18%)

and also significantly more likely to indicate they would want a

prenuptial agreement (38% v. 28%).
Those who would settle in marriage tend to be much more dissatisfied
with their lives, says Denise Delahorne, SVP Group Strategy Director
DDB US, they are much more likely than other singles to indicate they
have a lot of regrets about the choices they have made in their lives,
and if they had the chance to live their lives over, they would sure do
things differently.
While the pejorative term gold digger is usually an informal reference
to women who marry for money or material gain, our data indicates
that among the 20% of single people who admit they would marry
somebody for their money, 54% are male. More so than those who
would not marry for money, all gold diggers are more likely to admit
that they find it difficult to say I love you (34% v. 26%), and also are
more likely to marry someone they liked, but didnt love, if they
thought it was their only chance to get married (23% v. 9%).
When we look at gender differences within this group of people who
would marry for money, we do see that age has an impact. Gold
digger males are significantly more likely to be part of the millennial
generation (40% are male, v. 25% female), while gold digger women
are more likely to be part of the boomer generation (40% are female, v.
27% male). There also appears to be a regional skew related to gender,
where these males are more likely to live in the West, whereas these
females are more likely to live in the South.
While there is no difference in the level of interest in having a
prenuptial agreement between male and female gold diggers, with
approximately 40% of each group indicating they would want to have
one, it is interesting to note that among those who would not marry for
money, the level of interest in having a prenuptial agreement is
significantly lower, and only 27%.
Our survey results indicate that the moral compass of gold diggers
points in the wrong direction across a wide range of attitudes and
behaviors, says Delahorne, as they are more likely than everyone
else to say they would keep the wrong change given to them by
cashiers, likely cheat on their taxes or take credit for somebody elses
work to get ahead. Overall, they are a group of people who believe
they are better than other people, and their own happiness and well
being takes precedence over the needs of others.
*Sample sizes for data reported:

Married Adults
n=3153
Single
Adults

n=3111