Marriage

• Marriage

  • Fewer people are marrying - in 2018 there were 155,000 first marriages - less than half the number from 1972
  • Couples are less likely to marry in church - 2005 - 35% of marriages were conducted with religious ceremonies. It had fallen to 20% in 2018
• Marriage

  But, there are more remarriages - in 2018 1/3 of all marriages were remarriages.

  People are marrying later - 1971 - average age for women to be married was 25 and 23 for men. 2018 - average age for women to marry was 30 and men 32
• The cost of marriage

  • 2023 - average coat of a wedding was £20,700 which is a 12.5% from 2022.
  • 2020 - £9,100. Due to the expense of marriage, people are marrying later.
• Changing attitudes

  • People are marrying later - not as urgent to be married at a young age. There is less pressure to be married and more freedom to choose relationships.
  • Marriage is just a legal status
• Secularisation

  • Religion isn't as influential or important in today's society than it was in the past.
  • 2021, religious people were 24% more likely to be married.
  • In 2022, 17% of marriages were religious ceremonies and 83% were civil ceremonies
• Declining stigma

  • Having children outside marriage is regarded as acceptable, so pregnancy doesn't lead to a 'shotgun' wedding.
  • 1989 - 70% believed that couples who want children should be married. It dropped to 42% in 2012
• Changes in the position of women

  • Women are more independent and can support themselves without the need of a husband.
  • Feminists believe marriage is oppressive and patriarchal.
• Fear of divorce

  • Rising divorce rate may be put off marrying. The divorce rate is currently at 43%
• Sue Sharpe

  She studied working class girls in the early 1970s. A 1/3 wanted to be married by the age of 20 and 3/4 by the age of 25. In the early 1990's she found the girls priorities had change and they were far warier of marriage. Only 4% wanted to be married by 20.