Number of marriages in Australia - Data and Analysis (1982-2033)

IBISWorld forecasts the number of marriages to climb by 1.2% in 2026 to 120,747. Persistent inflation has paused rate cuts seen in the second half of 2025, with a rate increase in February 2026 tempering consumer confidence growth. This has seen weaker growth more recently, after a spike in marriage registrations following the removal of pandemic restrictions. An anticipated rise in interest rates and inflationary pressures over the year, citing persistent inflationary pressures, is expected to place downwards pressure on discretionary incomes, constraining 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 reassurance to proceed with their plans, which will continue to support marriage numbers for 2026.According to the most recent available data from the ABS, the median age at marriage was 32.8 years for males and 31.2 years for females in 2024, with the median age for same-sex marriage higher. The marriage rate for males and females aged 20-24 has more than halved since 1999, indicating that couples are waiting longer before tying the knot. In 2024, same-sex marriages accounted for 3.7% of all marriages, sitting at a similar level over the past few years.There has been a drop in the willingness to get married over the past decade, particularly as non-married de facto couples are now given the same status and legal protections as married couples. Additionally, fluctuations in consumer sentiment over the past five years have led couples to save more, rather than spend 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, pandemic-era restrictions on public gatherings and travel led to many wedding cancellations. Despite this trend, the number of marriages surged following the pandemic, leading to a spike in weddings in 2021 and 2022. Overall, IBISWorld forecasts the number of marriages to increase by a compound annual rate of 6.3% over the five years through 2026.