JOY Drive

10 Apr 2025

Associate Professor Lauren Rosewarne: Wedding Costs

Consumer Affairs, Kids & Family, Social Media, Society & Culture

A wedding meant church, flowers, a nice lunch, and maybe a few speeches. But today? There are drones, content creators, and sometimes two dresses.

Social media lit up when a podcast clip claimed the average Australian wedding costs $36,000. Some said, “That’s way too low!” Others laughed and said, “That’s just the bridal shower!”

So what is the real story? And how have weddings changed in the age of cost-of-living pressure, TikTok trends, and shrinking guest lists?

Guest: Lauren Rosewarne, Associate Professor in Public Policy, Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne

Presenter: Warren Andrew

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:34 — 17.3MB)

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15 Mar 2026

Associate Professor Micah Goldwater: Why Rational People Still Believe in Superstitions

Popular Culture, Social Sciences, Society & Culture

Most of us consider ourselves rational, yet superstitions still shape everyday behaviour. Psychologist Micah Goldwater explains why scientific thinking and ...

15 Mar 2026

Associate Professor Lauren Rosewarne: Why Some Gen Z Men Are Returning to Traditional Gender Views

LGBTIQA+ Community, Popular Culture, Social Media, Society & Culture

New research suggests some Gen Z men are expressing more traditional views about gender roles than older generations. Associate Professor ...

15 Mar 2026

Ben Cork: What the Pride in Sport Survey Reveals About Inclusion in Australian Sport

LGBTIQA+ Community, Professional, Society & Culture, Sports & Recreation

New results from the Pride in Sport Index survey reveal how LGBTQIA+ players, coaches and volunteers are experiencing sport across ...