Marriage rate highest in 30 years

MARRIAGE hit its highest level in more than three decades last year, with 22,544 couples tying the knot.

The figure hasn’t been this high since 1974 when 22,833 couples said “We do”. But while numbers are back to their old level, the type of marriage ceremony has changed — 34 years ago fewer than 2% of unions were civil marriages compared with more than 22% now.

Family life also seems in fashion judging by the rising number of births. They increased from 64,237 in 2006 to 70,711 last year, an extra 6,474 babies in one year.