The table illustrates data on the number of religious and civil weddings, along with the typical age of brides and grooms in Australia between 1960 and 2000.
Overall, while religious ceremonies remained the most popular form of marriage, civil unions grew significantly over the years. Additionally, both men and women tended to marry at older ages as time progressed.
In 1960, religious marriages accounted for 25,000 ceremonies, increasing slightly to 28,000 in 1970. The figure then peaked at 50,000 in 1980 before declining to 32,000 in 1990 and rising slightly to 34,000 by 2000. Conversely, civil weddings started at just 8,000 in 1960 but saw continuous growth, reaching 40,000 at the end of the period.
Regarding age, the average bride was 21 years old in 1960, rising to 23 in 1970 and 25 in 1980. By 1990, this had increased to 27, and in 2000, the typical bride was 30 years old. Similarly, the average groom’s age rose from 24 in 1960 to 32 by 2000, showing a steady upward trend