Marriage rates in Italy dropped by 6.7% in the first eight months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, according to a report released Friday by Istat, the national statistics agency. In contrast, same-sex unions increased by 7.3%, with 56.1% of these unions involving male couples.
The downward trend in marriages continues, as 2023 saw a 2.6% drop to 184,207 marriages compared to 2022. Church weddings fell by an even steeper 8.2%, reflecting a long-term decline in religious ceremonies.
At the same time, second or subsequent marriages reached record highs, with 44,320 taking place in 2023 — a 3.3% increase from 2022. Notably, civil ceremonies accounted for 58.9% of all marriages in 2023, continuing a shift observed since the pandemic.
Same-Sex Civil Unions
In 2023, there were 3,019 same-sex unions recorded in Italian municipalities, a 7.3% increase over the previous year. However, provisional data for early 2024 shows a slight decrease of 2.1% compared to the same period in 2023.
The majority of these unions occurred in the North-West of Italy (35.5%), with Lombardy leading at 23.5%, followed by Lazio (13.3%) and Emilia-Romagna (10.4%).
Separations and Divorces Decline
Separations and divorces also decreased in 2023, with separations dropping by 8.4% to 82,392 and divorces falling by 3.3% to 79,875. This marks a 19.4% decline from the peak in 2016 when divorces reached 99,071.
The introduction of “short divorce” legislation in 2015 had caused a sharp rise in divorces, but the trend has since stabilised. In 2023, 28.6% of separations and one-third of divorces were resolved through extrajudicial procedures.
Regions with the highest divorce rates in 2023 included Liguria, Sicily, and Sardinia, at 1.6 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants, compared to the national average of 1.4.
Shifting Marriage Trends
Couples are marrying later, influenced by 61.2% of young adults living with their parents until at least age 35. Mixed marriages, involving one foreign spouse, remain steady at 16% of all marriages, while weddings between two foreign, non-resident spouses accounted for nearly 2% of all ceremonies in 2023.
Saturday remains the most popular day for weddings, particularly for religious ceremonies (53.1%). Civil weddings, however, are increasingly chosen, especially for second marriages (95%) and unions involving at least one foreign spouse (91.2%).
Wedding Costs and Tourism
The high cost of weddings in Italy is cited as a key factor in the declining marriage rate. With an average price tag of €21,700 — excluding honeymoons — Italy’s wedding industry generates an annual turnover of €4 billion.
Despite this, Italy continues to attract international couples, confirming its status as a prime destination for “wedding tourism.” In 2023, 3,337 weddings involved foreign, non-resident couples.
