New official figures confirm a sustained decline in the number of couples choosing to marry in England and Wales, with a sharp drop recorded last year. The data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that while traditional marriages are becoming less common, civil partnerships are experiencing a notable surge in popularity.
A Post-Pandemic Return to the Downward Trend
The ONS reported that 224,402 marriages took place in 2023, marking a significant 9.1% decrease from the 246,897 ceremonies recorded in 2022. In a contrasting move, civil partnerships saw a 9.7% rise, increasing from 6,879 unions in 2022 to 7,547 in 2023.
Kara Steel, a senior figure at the ONS, explained that the 2022 numbers were likely inflated by a “post-pandemic spike” as couples finally held ceremonies delayed by coronavirus lockdowns. “2023 saw a return to the overall trend of declining marriage,” she stated, adding that the number of marriages has fallen by a staggering 44% over the last fifty years.
Shifting Dates and Demographics for Couples
While the long-term decline continues, the preferences for when to tie the knot are also evolving. August remained the most popular month for weddings overall, but the single most common day to get married shifted from a date in July to 2nd September in 2023.
The data also highlights changing demographics. The average age for those entering an opposite-sex marriage remained historically high, at 34.8 years for men and 33 years for women. For same-sex couples, the average age was even higher, supporting the trend of these partnerships forming later in life.
Harry Benson, Research Director of the Marriage Foundation, suggested the year-on-year drop “conceals the long tail of lockdown,” implying many couples may have abandoned their wedding plans entirely. “That so many couples appear to have abandoned their wedding plans is incredibly sad for them, their friends and families,” he said. “But it may also have a serious knock-on effect on commitment.”
Regional Variations and Partnership Types
Geographically, the South East was the region with the most marriages, accounting for 16.1% of the total. When it came to civil partnerships, London was the undisputed hub, with about a quarter of all such unions in 2023 taking place in the capital.
Despite the overall decline, opposite-sex marriages remained the most common type of legal partnership, constituting 93.5% of all marriages in 2023. The figures paint a complex picture of how people in England and Wales are formalising their relationships, moving away from traditional marriage but increasingly embracing alternative legal unions.
