Economists have worked out that the more lavish a couple’s wedding, the more likely they are to divorce. The US team found that couples whose weddings cost in excess of $20,000 (£12,450) were 3.5 times more likely to split up than those who spent between $5,000 and $10,000.

This has little to do with weddings but a lot to do with values. If you love someone it doesn’t matter a tinker’s cuss whether you celebrate it in a pub or the Ritz Hotel. But if you are a born-again consumerist, attention-getter and show-off then the vote is likely to be the Ritz. Economists always say that the best predictor of the future is the past. So if your fiancee expresses a desire to invite 500 people to a glitzy wedding-happening, then be advised: you are likely to spend your married life arguing about money, and it is not unknown for money to sink a marriage.