Grooms want to spend less in recession

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LONDON, June 22 (UPI) -- Research shows British men used to want to spend more money than their brides-to-be on their weddings, but now want to keep a lid on it.

Before 2007, British grooms expected to spend about $12,000 on their weddings while brides wanted to spend less -- about $8,700, The Daily Telegraph reported. Now, grooms want to spend about the same amount but brides-to-be have increased their average budgets to about $13,000, research by John Lewis Insurance found.

John Brady of John Lewis Insurance said the study highlights the "stark" difference between how men and women reacted to economic downturn.

"While grooms are tightening their belts, brides want to spend even bigger," Brady said.

John Lewis interviewed 1,044 engaged people in 2007 about their expectations for their wedding budgets and 2,030 people on the same topic in 2012.