There were 21,159 marriages registered in Ireland in 2023, which includes 646 same-sex marriages. While the number of marriages fell by 8.7% in 2023 compared with 2022, the overall number of marriages in 2023 exceeded pre-pandemic 2019 figures by 4.2%.
The average age for brides and grooms increased to 35.8 years for brides and to 37.7 years for grooms in 2023, when compared to 2022.
In 2023, the average age of males in same-sex marriages was 40.8 years, while the average age of females in same-sex marriages was 38.0 years.
Roman Catholic marriage ceremonies were the most popular ceremonies for opposite-sex couples in 2023 accounting for 35% of ceremonies, closely followed by civil ceremonies (32%). A civil ceremony was the most popular choice for same-sex couples (52%).
Friday was the most popular day to get married.
August was the most popular month to wed for opposite sex couples, while July was the most popular month for same sex couples to marry in 2023.
Statistician's Comment
The CSO has today (26 April 2024) published Marriages 2023, with data compiled from the marriage registration forms of all marriages registered in Ireland in 2023.
Commenting on the report, Seán O’Connor, Statistician in the Vital Statistics Section, said: “There were 21,159 marriages in Ireland in 2023 including 646 same-sex marriages. This equates to a crude (unadjusted) marriage rate of 4.0 per 1,000 population. While the number of marriages celebrated in 2023 decreased by 8.7% from 2022, 2023 was still 4.2% higher than the final pre-pandemic year of 2019 which had 846 fewer marriages registered or a total of 20,313. Same sex marriages increased by 4.5%, up from 618 in 2022 to 646 in 2023.
Age of Brides and Groom
The average age of men in opposite-sex marriages was 37.7 years while the average age of men in same-sex marriages was higher at 40.8 years. The average age of women in opposite-sex marriages was 35.8 years in 2023, while the comparable age for women in same-sex marriages was 38.0 years.
Ceremony Choice
The most popular form of ceremony for opposite-sex couples was a Catholic ceremony (35% or 7,256), followed by a civil ceremony at 6,474 or 32%. The popularity of these two forms of ceremonies for opposite-sex couples has been in decline since 2014, when they accounted for 87% of all marriage ceremonies. A civil ceremony was the choice of 334 same-sex couples (52%). Humanist ceremonies accounted for 7.9% or 1,614 of all opposite-sex marriages and 15% or 97 of all same-sex marriages in 2023.
August was the most popular month for opposite-sex marriages in 2023, while July was the most popular month for same-sex marriages. January was the least favoured month to tie the knot for opposite-sex marriages, while February was the least appealing month to those in same-sex marriages.
Friday and Saturday continue to be the most popular days for wedding ceremonies for opposite-sex couples, while Friday, followed by Thursday were the most favoured days to wed for same-sex couples. This has not changed since 2022. For all couples, Sundays and Mondays were the least popular days of the week to marry.”