November 23rd, 2024

Love in the air: New Zealand marriages rebound post-COVID

Despite the rise in weddings, the number remains lower than the average annual figure of around 20,200 marriages and civil unions registered between 2017 and 2019, before the pandemic.

By the end of 2022, registrations even exceeded pre-pandemic levels, potentially due to couples who had postponed their earlier plans.
By the end of 2022, registrations even exceeded pre-pandemic levels, potentially due to couples who had postponed their earlier plans.

As the warm sun of summer graced New Zealand, so too did love and commitment for many couples who finally got to say their "I dos". After two years of COVID-19 restrictions limiting gatherings, annual figures released by Stats NZ reveal that the number of marriages and civil unions celebrated in 2022 has increased to 18,858, up from 15,657 in 2021.

Despite the rise in weddings, the number remains lower than the average annual figure of around 20,200 marriages and civil unions registered between 2017 and 2019, before the pandemic. According to Michael MacAskill, population estimates and projections manager, the strict rules around gatherings due to COVID-19 caused a significant drop in the number of marriages, especially during the warmer months, which are popular for weddings.

However, as restrictions lifted in 2022, the number of marriages registered each month began to return to pre-COVID numbers. By the end of the year, registrations even exceeded pre-pandemic levels, potentially due to couples who had postponed their earlier plans.

Overseas couples also contributed to the increase in marriages in New Zealand, with 1,317 couples coming from abroad to marry or form a civil union in 2022. This number marks an increase from the mere 231 in 2021 but remains lower than pre-COVID figures. A majority of these couples, nearly two in every three, hailed from Australia, with others coming from the United Kingdom and the United States.

Same-sex couples from overseas made up 7% of the 1,317 couples who married or formed a civil union in New Zealand in 2022. In comparison, same-sex marriages accounted for only 2% of unions among couples living in New Zealand. The highest proportion of same-sex overseas couples who married in New Zealand came from Australia, followed by Singapore, and then the United Kingdom and the United States.

In terms of divorces, Stats NZ reported 7,593 divorces granted in 2022, which is higher than the 6,372 in 2021 but lower than most years before that, following a general decline in the number of divorces each year. MacAskill noted that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on divorces is not yet known, as couples must be separated for at least two years before applying for a divorce.