The number of marriages increased by 35% to 23,173 in 2022 compared with 2021 and includes 618 same-sex marriages. The overall number of marriages in 2022 exceeded pre-pandemic 2019 figures by 14%.
The average age for brides and grooms remained unchanged in 2022 from 2021. The average age for brides was 35.4, while for grooms it remained 37.4 in 2022.
The average age of males in same-sex marriages was 39.4 years in 2022.
The average age of females in same-sex marriages was 38.2 in 2022.
Roman Catholic marriage ceremonies were the most popular ceremonies for opposite-sex couples in 2022 with 9,376 ceremonies.
Friday was the most popular day to get married for all couples.
July was the most popular month to wed for all couples in 2022.
Learn about our data and confidentiality safeguards, and the steps we take to produce statistics that can be trusted by all.
Statistician's Comment
The CSO has today (28 April 2023) published Marriages 2022, with data compiled from the marriage registration forms of all marriages registered in Ireland in 2022.
Commenting on the report, Seán O’Connor, Statistician, said: “There were 23,173 marriages in Ireland in 2022 including 618 same-sex marriages. This equates to a crude (unadjusted) marriage rate of 4.5 per 1,000 population. The number of marriages celebrated in 2022 increased by 35% from 2021, and was up 14% from 2019 when there were 20,313 marriages. Same sex marriages increased by 24%, up from 500 in 2021 to 618 in 2022.
Age of Brides and Groom
The average age of men in an opposite-sex marriage was 37.4 years while the average age of men in a same-sex marriage was higher at 39.4 years. The average age of women in an opposite-sex marriage was 35.4 in 2022, while the comparable age for women in a same-sex marriage was 38.2 years.
Ceremony Choice
The most popular form of ceremony for opposite-sex couples was a Catholic ceremony (42% or 9,376), followed by a civil ceremony at 5,767 or 26%. 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 304 same-sex couples (49%). Humanist ceremonies accounted for 9% or 2,053 of all opposite-sex marriages and 17% or 104 of all same-sex marriages in 2022.
July is the most popular months for both opposite and same sex marriages in 2022. January was the least favoured month to tie the knot for all couples.
Friday and Saturday continue to be the most popular days to tie the knot for opposite-sex couples, while Friday, followed by Thursday were the most favoured days to wed for same-sex couples. These are unchanged from 2021 results. Sundays and Tuesdays were the least popular days of the week to marry for all couples.”