New official figures reveal a significant shift in how couples in England and Wales are formalising their relationships, with a sharp decline in traditional marriages coinciding with a notable rise in civil partnerships.
A Post-Pandemic Reversal
Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the number of marriages fell to 224,402 in 2023, a substantial decrease of 9.1% from the 246,897 recorded in 2022. This decline follows a post-pandemic spike the previous year, which the ONS attributes to weddings that had been postponed during Covid-19 lockdowns.
Kara Steel from the ONS commented on the trend, stating: ‘There was a post-pandemic spike in marriages in 2022, perhaps due to weddings postponed or delayed from lockdown, but 2023 saw a return to the overall trend of declining marriage.’
The Rise of Civil Partnerships
While marriages decreased, civil partnerships saw a remarkable surge. The number of couples opting for this legal union increased by nearly 10%, rising from 6,879 in 2022 to 7,547 in 2023. This growing preference highlights a diversification in how modern couples choose to commit to one another, a path famously taken by figures like Sir Elton John and David Furnish.
The data also reveals that couples are getting married later in life. For opposite-sex marriages, the average age has climbed to 34.8 years for men and 33 years for women, among the highest averages ever recorded.
Regional Variations and 'Missing Marriages'
The analysis uncovered significant regional differences. The South East was the most popular region for marriages, accounting for 16.1% of the total. At a local level, Lambeth in London saw the biggest increase in marriages, jumping by 30.6%, while Denbighshire in Wales experienced the largest decrease, falling by 27.3%.
London proved to be the hub for civil partnerships, registering 24.5% of all formations in 2023. The capital saw a 16.1% increase in same-sex civil partnerships and a 17.9% increase for opposite-sex partnerships compared to the previous year.
Despite the overall decline, a separate analysis by the Marriage Foundation think tank suggests the institution remains important. They identified as many as 100,000 'missing marriages'—couples who postponed their weddings during the pandemic but have yet to reschedule.
Harry Benson, the Marriage Foundation's research director, explained: ‘At least 100,000 couples whose weddings were cancelled during lockdown may still not have rearranged their weddings... That so many couples appear to have abandoned their wedding plans is incredibly sad for them, their friends and families.’ He expressed hope that this might be a temporary postponement while couples focus on other life goals like starting a family or buying a home.
This long-term perspective shows a stark contrast; the number of marriages in England and Wales has plummeted by 44% between 1973 and 2023, signalling a profound societal shift over the last five decades.
