Marriage rise bucks trend

Celebrity marriages led the way in 2000

The number of marriages in England and Wales has risen for the first time in eight years.

There were 267,961 marriages in 2000, a rise of almost 2% from 263,515 in 1999, the latest statistics reveal.

This is the first year to record a rise since 1992.

But religious marriage is still in decline, dropping from 38 to 36% in 2000.

People are very interested now in relationship issues

Angela Sibson
Relate

The statistics are reflected by a reported surge at bridal shops over the last couple of years.

Celia Duncan, editor of CosmoGIRL, told BBC News: "There are two factors.

"The first one is obviously the millennium and that's a really big factor here in pushing the numbers up.

Older grooms

"But also the fact that so many celebrities are getting married and they have such a sway on society today and that does make a difference."

As the divorce rate has also fallen, some think there could be more fundamental forces at work.

Angela Sibson of Relate said: "People are influenced by pop stars and celebrities and their behaviour, but I think what influences them more is a sense of their own needs and their own needs in relation to the needs of their partner.

"People are very interested now in relationship issues."

Fall and Rise

1971: 404,000

1981: 352,000

1999: 263,515

2000: 267,961

In 1990 more than half of all marriages involved a religious ceremony.

The trend to marry away from churches or registry offices is continuing with 17% of all marriages (and a quarter of civil marriages) now in "approved premises", such as hotels, stately homes or football grounds.

Only one in 10 marriages were in "approved premises" in 1990.

But people are still choosing to marry later, with the average age at marriage rising for men from 34.4 years in 1999 to 34.8 years and for women from 31.8 to 32.1.