Data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). shows that 20,348 marriages were registered in Ireland in 2024, including 668 same-sex marriages and just one third of those took place in church. The number of marriages fell by almost 4pc in 2024 compared to 2023.
Over 700 venues are now licensed for civil ceremonies, including hotels, castles, country houses, and restaurants.
The average age for brides reached 35.9 years while grooms remained at 37.7 years, showing an increase over previous years.
The proportion of Catholic ceremonies has fallen from 59.3pc to 32.6pc over the last decade.
There were only 33 more Catholic wedding ceremonies than civil ceremonies in Ireland last year.
David Quinn commentator shared, “There’s a big fall-off in church attendance, but the whole trend towards having non-church weddings accelerated when hotels could do the receptions and the ceremony.”
Wedding celebrant Barbara Ryan shared, “celebrants don’t necessarily want their guests to have to travel around from a church to the venue.”
Seán O’Connor statistician shared, “The most popular form of ceremony for opposite-sex couples was a Catholic ceremony (6,425 or 32.6pc), followed by a civil ceremony at 6,392 or 32.5pc in 2024. Looking back 10 years the proportion of Catholic ceremonies for opposite-sex weddings has fallen from 59.3pc to 32.6pc. In 2014, Limerick County (90.1pc), Mayo (85.6pc), and Clare were the local authorities with the largest share of Catholic ceremonies. In 2024, Longford (67.2pc), Leitrim (61.6pc), and Mayo (61.0pc) recorded the largest proportion of Catholic ceremonies. More than half (52.5pc) of same-sex marriages in 2024 were civil marriages.”
- 2024 Number of Marriages 19,680 opposite-sex marriages, 325 Male same-sex marriages, 343 Female same-sex marriages
- Average Age of Opposite-Sex Weddings Male: 37.7, Female: 35.9
- Average Age of Same-Sex Weddings Male: 40.7, Female: 39.7
- Most popular Forms of Ceremony for Opposite-Sex Marriage 6,425 (32.6pc)
- Catholic Ceremonies 6,392 (32.5pc) Civil Ceremonies
- Most popular day to wed Friday: 7,280 ceremonies
- Least popular day to wed Sunday: 715 ceremonies
- Most popular month to wed August: 2,721 ceremonies
- Least popular month to wed January: 653 ceremonies
