Marriage, Wedding and Engagement Statistics

Posted By on September 25, 2018

Marriage, Wedding and Engagement Statistics 2022-2021

According to the Pew Research Center, in 2021-2022, marriage was less common in urban areas than in either rural or suburban areas. Researchers attribute this partially to the generally younger populations in urban areas. In recent years, the average age that people marry has been increasing. Additionally, people in rural areas tend to have lower levels of education, which could also contribute to the disparity. However, researchers note that the disparity between different community types only exists for the white members of the sample. Wile 49% of urban whites, 53% of suburban whites, and 54% of rural whites are married, among the black population 32% in suburban areas, 27% in rural areas, and 26% in urban areas are married.


In keeping with statistics about marriage, Engagemently has shown a slight decrease in the number of weddings in the United States since 2016. After reaching a low of 2.08 million weddings in 2010, the number of weddings steadily increased between 2010 and 2022, reaching a peak of 2.21 million in 2016. This was followed by a sharp decline. This trend is reflected in the total spending on wedding-related costs.


In 2016, the United States saw $59.09 billion dollars in wedding-related sales. This is in contrast to the $56.27 billion spent in 2017. The Wedding Report research doesn’t speculate on the cause of this downward trend, but other research suggests that current economic conditions could be a factor in the decline.

For example, according to the United States Census Bureau, one of the reasons that young adults are less likely to marry in recent years is lack of economic security. However, researchers note that it is unclear what aspect of economic security plays the greatest role in influencing this decision. Employment, wages, poverty, and housing are all components of economic security. The research suggests that all of these factors play a role in the marriage decisions of young adults, but how much impact each varies. Researchers also examined statistics relating to gender. They wanted to determine whether men’s economic stability played a greater role in making decisions about marriage than women’s, but found no significant difference.


Another fact about marriage in 2018 cited by the Pew Research Center is that incidents of remarriage have been increasing. In 1960, 13% of people getting married had been married before. In Pew’s most recent research, that number had increased to 23%. In about 20% of marriages, both partners were walking down the aisle for at least the second time. Researchers noted that remarriage was more common for men than for women. About 64% of divorced men got married again compared to 52% of divorced women. When surveying divorced men and women, researchers found that women (54%) were more likely to state that they were uninterested in getting married again whereas fewer men (30%) said the same.

Even if the average numbers are increasing, weddings are still happening! One important piece of information about 2018 weddings in Wedding Wire’s Newlywed report, is that fall is the most popular season in which to tie the knot. The report estimates that around 40% of weddings take place in the autumn. Although summer is often considered the peak wedding season, this report actually shows a sharp drop in weddings in the month of July. Part of the reason for this trend could be cost; because summer is typically considered the peak season, prices for wedding-related services tend to peak in these months as well.


There are seasonal trends for 2018-2019 engagements as well. According to PRIMAVERA DREAMS, nearly 40% of engagements take place between November and February.


One likely cause of this trend is the number of important holidays that fall during these months, including Christmas, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s, and Thanksgiving. Many people plan their engagements around seasonal holidays so they can celebrate this big step with family and friends. In addition, the holiday festivities centered around these occasions create a wonderful ambiance for popping the question.


While proposals and weddings are undoubtedly romantic, they also come with a hefty price tag. According to Statista, the average cost of an engagement ring climbed from $5,095 in 2011 to $6,351 in 2021-2022. Typically, men are expected to spend the equivalent of two month’s salary on a ring. The engagement ring is a typical symbol of the beginning of a marriage, and most engagements do feature a shiny piece of jewelry, .

According to research reported by Trip Savvy, couples also spend a lot of money while they are engaged. In the month between the proposal and the actual wedding, couples buy $4 billion in furniture, $3 billion in housewares, and $400 million in tableware. These statistics are surprising considering the fact that many couples are older when they decide to tie the knot, and most cohabitate before the big day. In fact, the Trip Savvy report indicates that 3 out of 4 couples live together before getting married.


The weddings themselves are even pricier. According to XO Group Inc., the average cost for a 20222 wedding was $39,391. The study that found this statistic interviewed almost 13,000 couples to determine what kind of spending they did regarding their big days. The survey also included a “high-spenders” category: those that spent over $60,000. The study showed that these couple’s weddings had an average price tag of $105,130. In breaking down the costs of the weddings, researchers discovered that more formal weddings were decreasing as couples planned less traditional celebrations. However, including religious and cultural traditions remains an important aspect of wedding days.