More people getting married in 2022
Altogether 40.5 thousand couples tied the knot up to July inclusive. This is considerably more than in the same period of last year (29.3 thousand) and in 2020 (24.6 thousand). During particular periods between March 2020 and March 2022, coronavirus measures were in place, such as restrictions on organising events. Fewer marriages (35.9 thousand) were also concluded in the first seven months of 2019, the last pre-pandemic year.
| Jaar | Marriages (x 1,000) | Civil partnerships (x 1,000) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 35.6 | 11.4 |
| 2019 | 35.9 | 12.5 |
| 2020 | 24.6 | 13.0 |
| 2021 | 29.3 | 15.3 |
| 2022 | 40.5 | 14.1 |
More marriages taking place in February
In February, there were relatively many weddings (4.1 thousand). Especially 22/02/2022 was a popular date: nearly 1.2 thousand couples said ‘I do’ on that day. This is comparable to peak days in May, June and September, which are popular wedding months. Normally, an average of 2.8 thousand couples get married in February.
From April 2022 onwards, more couples wed each month compared to the same month in the four preceding years.
| Maand | 2019 (x 1,000) | 2020 (x 1,000) | 2021 (x 1,000) | 2022 (x 1,000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.2 |
| February | 2.8 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 4.1 |
| March | 3.2 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| April | 4.4 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 4.7 |
| May | 7.6 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 8.3 |
| June | 8.4 | 4.5 | 6.2 | 9.6 |
| July | 6.8 | 5.5 | 6.6 | 8.4 |
No further increase in registered partnerships
In the first seven months of 2022, slightly fewer partnerships were registered than in the same period of 2021. Unlike the couples entering into marriage, the number of couples entering into a civil partnership increased in 2020. Only during the first lockdown in the second quarter of 2020 did the number of partnership formations decline, but less sharply than the number of marriages. In 2021 as well, more couples registered their relationship formally than in the previous year.
The popularity of civil partnerships has been on the rise for some time. The number of couples choosing this option has risen since 2014. Compared to those getting married, more partnerships were formed between people who had never married or formed a partnership before.
| Jaar | Marriages ( x 1,000) | Civil partnerships ( x 1,000) |
|---|---|---|
| '10 | 75.4 | 9.6 |
| '11 | 71.6 | 9.9 |
| '12 | 70.3 | 9.2 |
| '13 | 64.5 | 9.4 |
| '14 | 65.3 | 10.4 |
| '15 | 64.3 | 12.8 |
| '16 | 65.2 | 15.7 |
| '17 | 64.4 | 17.9 |
| '18 | 64.3 | 19.8 |
| '19 | 63.7 | 21.9 |
| '20 | 50.2 | 24.1 |
| '21 | 56.4 | 26.1 |
More often than marriages, partnerships are likely accompanied by an important event such as moving house or having a child. For example, 53 percent of couples who entered into a partnership in recent years had a child and/or moved house within a year. This was 32 percent among couples who got married. In 2020, this share was slightly higher among newly married couples (35 percent).
Sources
Related items
- Dashboard - Population (marriages)
- News release - Fewer weddings during the coronavirus crisis
- News release - Fewer young couples getting married
- Privacy - CBS privacy regulations