Number of marriages

IBISWorld forecasts the number of marriages to increase by 3.9% in 2025 to 113,142. Improved economic stability is expected to increase consumer confidence despite remaining negative, enabling more couples to plan and afford their desired weddings. An anticipated easing in interest rates and inflationary pressures over the year is expected to place upwards pressure on discretionary incomes, supporting growth in the number of weddings. The full reopening of international borders over the past few years has also given rise to destination weddings and reunited families for such events. Adaptations by the wedding industry, like enhanced virtual planning tools and smaller-scale weddings, give couples additional reassurance to proceed with their plans, thus supporting the anticipated rise in marriage numbers for 2025.

According to the most recent available data from the ABS, the median age at marriage was 32.9 years for males and 31.2 years for females in 2023, with the median age for same-sex marriage higher. The marriage rate for males and females between 20 and 24 has more than halved since 1999, indicating that couples are waiting longer before tying the knot. In 2023, same-sex marriages accounted for 3.8% of all marriages.

There has been a drop in willingness to get married over the past decade, particularly as non-married de facto couples are now given similar status and legal protection that married couples receive. Additionally, fluctuations in consumer sentiment over the past five years have led couples to save more than spend money on wedding ceremonies, delaying marriages. Furthermore, increases in the female labour force over the past five years indicate that more women are focusing on their careers and postponing marriage to achieve greater financial security independently. Even so, the legalisation of same-sex marriage in December 2017 widened the pool of couples able to marry, supporting growth in the number of marriages. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings and travel caused many wedding cancellations. Despite this trend, the number of marriages surged following the pandemic, resulting in a hike in the number of weddings during 2021 and 2022. Overall, IBISWorld forecasts the number of marriages to increase by a compound annual rate of 7.5% over the five years through 2025.