Insee Focus · February 2023 · n° 291

A rebound in marriages in 2021, after a sharp fall in 2020

In 2021, 218,800 marriages were celebrated in France, 41.6% more than in 2020. This was a historic rebound but only a return to normal after the 31.2% drop in 2020, due to the Covid-19 epidemic and its restrictions. The number of marriages in 2021 almost returned to its 2019 level (-2.6%) without compensating for the marriages cancelled in 2020. The increase of almost 12% expected in 2022, according to provisional data, could be the beginning of a catch-up.

10% more people aged 55 or over got married in 2021 compared to 2019. Marriages between women increased (+11% compared to 2019), while those between men fell very slightly.