‘Last year Friday, 8 August 2008 was the most popular day to get married in Northern Ireland. There were 139 marriages on that day compared to 100 marriages on a typical summer Saturday. As well as 8 August being the most popular day, August was also the most popular month to get married with over 1,400 marriages taking place in that month’ (Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency)

The number of marriages registered in Northern Ireland in 2008 was 8,500, a small decrease on the 8,700 marriages registered in 2007.  The statistics show the continued increase in ages of those getting married with, on average, both men and women today aged over 30 when getting married. This is significantly older than their counterparts three decades ago.

Marriages Registered in 2008

• There were 8,510 marriages registered in Northern Ireland in 2008, a decrease of 177 marriages or 2% on the 2007 figure of 8,687 marriages;
• The average age at marriage has increased markedly in the last two decades. The average age at marriage for all brides in 2008 was 31 (31.0 years) compared to 26 (25.6 years) in 1988. The average age for the groom in 2008 was 33 (33.3 years), compared to 28 (27.7 years) in 1988;
• Of the 8,510 marriages registered in 2008, 6,039 were religious marriages and the remaining 2,471 were civil marriages;
• The Marriage (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 now allows civil marriage ceremonies to be conducted outside Registrar’s Offices in a number of approved venues. In 2008, 1,056 civil marriage ceremonies (43% of all civil marriage ceremonies) were held in approved venues compared to 1,042 in 2007;
• Outside religious buildings and Registrar Offices most weddings took place in The Old Inn, Crawsfordsburn in 2008;
• Of the 8,510 marriages in 2008, 7,664 (90%) were to couples where one or both partners lived in Northern Ireland. In the remaining 846 marriages (10%) neither partner lived in Northern Ireland; however the vast majority of these (76%) related to marriages where one or both partners were born in Northern Ireland, clearly relating to people returning home to get married;
• In 2008, most marriages took place in Belfast Local Government District (1,336 marriages) followed by Newry & Mourne Local Government District (538 marriages). Moyle Local Government District had the fewest marriages registered in 2008 (103 marriages); and
• Friday, 8 August 2008 was the most popular day in 2008 to get married, with 139 couples getting married on that date.