Number of weddings at all-time low

COVID restrictions saw marriages in England and Wales fall to a record low in 2020.

Official figures showed there were 85,770 weddings – the smallest number since the first full year of marriage records in 1838.

The 2020 figure was down 61 per cent from 219,850 in 2019, the largest annual decrease recorded.

And marriage rates were lower than divorce rates for the first time.

Delays

The figures, published by the Office for National Statistics yesterday, showed there were 8.5 divorces per 1,000 married men and 8.6 per 1,000 married women.

There were 82,959 opposite-sex marriages, a decrease of 61.1 per cent from the 213,122 figure in 2019, and 2,811 same-sex weddings, down 58.2 per cent from 6,728 in 2019.

The ONS said the wait to establish figures was due to “delays in the submission of religious marriage entries by clergy and authorised persons”.

Amanda Sharfman, from the ONS, said that while rates of opposite-sex marriage at all age groups decreased between 2019 and 2020, the biggest fall was for men and women aged between 25 and 29.

For men, rates fell by 66.1 per cent from 28.3 per 1,000 unmarried men in 2019 to 9.6 per 1,000 in 2020. For women, they dropped by 65.7 per cent from 41.4 per 1,000 unmarried women in 2019 to 14.2 per 1,000.

London saw the greatest proportion (17.7 per cent) of marriages.

Claire Reid, of Hall Brown Family Law, said the impact of lockdown was clear but the ages of those marrying suggested that while younger people might have postponed, some older people went ahead.

She added: “Those wanting a big white wedding were forced either to revise their plans or to delay.

“But some older couples – particularly those who have been married before – may have been more concerned with tying the knot than having a lavish event.”