Save The Date (For A Few Years): Wedding Figures Fall As Couples Struggle With The Recession

Let’s face it, the recession has ruined a lot of things for us: jobs, socialising, our bank accounts just to name a few. Apparently it’s also had a damaging impact on our relationships.

According to some new figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) the number of Irish couples getting married has dropped considerably since the recession began. And that’s not all – the average age of the bride and groom has risen as well.

There were more than 20,000 weddings registered in Ireland back in 2010. It may seem like a lot but apparently it was the lowest rate of marriage in the State since 1998.

The CSO said that figures for marriage soared in the book years but have been steadily dropping since 2008, when the recession really began to hit us hard.

In terms of ages, the age of grooms rose to 34 years while a bride’s average age was 32.

Many couples have to save for years to afford their dream wedding

Why are we waiting so long to waltz down the aisle with our other half? Well, simply put, we just can’t afford it. While many Irish couples would love to get married earlier, most have to spend years saving in order to afford the wedding of their dreams.

Price hikes, wage cuts and job uncertainty all play a part in delaying our dreams of matrimony. Many couples are afraid to splash out on their dream day just in case one of them loses their job and they have no way of footing the bill.

Did you and your other half have to wait awhile before you tied the knot?