Being a marriage celebrant in Coffs Harbour has allowed me to gain a first-hand experience of all things weddings and the impact of COVID-19. At the end of 2020, the ABS released some interesting insights as part of their provisional data for January to June 2020 highlighting changes in patterns of marriage associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and for that reason, I want to issue a minor nerd alert for my latest blog.
2020 and now 2021 has been a period of exceptions. We keep hearing of the word unprecedented, one that I need no longer right click to check if I have spelt it correctly. The pandemic has of course changed the wedding landscape in so many ways. Let’s take a quick look…..
Between January and June 2020 a total of 37,813 marriages occurred in Australia – in which I proudly contributed 0.08% ‘I do’s’. The number of marriages represented a 31.9% decrease in the same period a year ago. When comparing the same period of the last five years, the number of marriages was lower by 62.2%.
Between April and June 2020 the median age at marriage was 32.6 years for males and 30.7 years for females.
A whopping 80% of ceremonies were performed by a civil celebrant. This is a figure that I have seen climbing every year since becoming a civil celebrant many years ago.
Over the past decade, the marriage rate has decreased from 5.5 to 4.5 marriages per 1,000 people. Despite the restrictions, nearly 10,000 weddings went ahead between April and June 2020 – and that’s a good thing not only for couples but Coffs Harbour’s awesome wedding industry suppliers and my amazing celebrant friends.
Without question, one of the biggest trends I have seen during the pandemic is the increase in elopements and micro weddings, two popular services that I have now been providing for more than 13 years to couples locally and afar.
If you are trying to navigate how to get married within a world with a touch of uncertainty, then let’s talk. I can make your wedding ceremony truly one to remember for a lifetime – and for all the right reasons. It’s what I do!