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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11 Jan 2026

Dr Sam Arnold: Autistic Burnout

Health, Mental Health, Psychology, Social Sciences, Society & Culture

Autistic burnout is not just tiredness. It can be a prolonged, life-altering depletion linked to sensory overload and masking. Sam ...

11 Jan 2026

Associate Professor Lauren Rosewarne: Why Libraries Are Booming Again

Literature, Popular Culture, Society & Culture

Libraries are busier than they have been in years, and they are no longer just about books. Associate Professor Lauren ...

11 Jan 2026

Tomáš Kantor: SUGAR at the 2026 Midsumma Festival

Arts, LGBTIQA+ Community, Performing Arts, Popular Culture, Society & Culture

SUGAR is a bold one-person show about desire, money and pop culture fantasies, where glamour and pop songs sit alongside ...