Celebrant surge: 8/10 couples opt out of a church wedding

Changing cultural norms could be behind a drop in Australia’s marriage rate according to a relationship expert.

New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics also show more couples are choosing civil celebrants over church weddings.

Anne Hollonds, Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies, told Ross and John marriage used to be thought of as an institution that signified you’d become an adult.

“These days marriage is more a relationship of choice. You can choose to get married or not get married,” she said.

“There’s no particular social stigma associated with your choices.”

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Photo credit: Prakasit Khuansuwan / EyeEm