Wellington, May 3 : The number of marriages solemnised in New Zealand increased in 2022 following lower numbers in the previous two years, according to annual figures released by the statistics department on Wednesday.

In 2022, 18,858 marriages and civil unions were registered by New Zealand couples, up from 15,657 in 2021. However, the number remains lower than in the period before COVID-19 impacted New Zealand (there were, on average, around 20,200 marriages and civil unions registered each year between 2017 and 2019).  “Rules around gatherings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a large drop in the number of marriages celebrated, especially in the warmer months when it’s more popular to tie the knot,” population estimates and projections manager Michael MacAskill said.  “In 2022, the number of marriages registered each month began returning to pre-COVID numbers as restrictions were lifted. In fact, registrations were higher than pre-COVID levels towards the end of the year, which may have included couples marrying that had delayed earlier plans.”