According to the numbers released Thursday, fewer Finnish residents decided to tie the knot last year that in 2012, and in fact, the number of marriages in 2013 was at its lowest in ten years.
Altogether Statistics Finland reported just over 25,000 marriages, more than 3,700 fewer than in 2012. The agency added that the trend was evident in all age groups.
Statistics Finland speculated that the waning wedding fever may have stemmed from the fact that 2013 did not offer any romantic special dates for nuptials, as previous years date. It noted that marriage dates such as 12.12.12 and 08.08.08 tend to be hugely popular among marriage-minded couples.
Divorces increase in 2013
On the flip side of the coin 2013 saw an increase in divorces, compared to a declining trend in the previous two years. Last year 13,766 couples severed the knot, exactly 766 more than in 2012. The tendency to go separate ways grew most in the under-50 age group.
Meanwhile last year 373 same-sex couples registered their partnerships; 126 were male couples while 247 were women. Just 101 same-sex couples formally ended their relationships. The numbers were more or less on the same level as the previous year, when 329 gay couples registered their partnerships and 101 spilt up.
