Statistics show more couples heading for the altar

New figures have shown that more couples are deciding to tie the knot, potentially reversing a long-term trend.

The number of people deciding to exchange vows has been in general decline since the 1970s, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). However, new provisional data released today shows there were 277,740 marriages in the United Kingdom in 2010, representing the first increase in six years. It is the single biggest annual rise since 2002/03.

In England and Wales, the number of marriages was up by 3.7 per cent. Additional figures show Scotland saw a rise of 3.5 per cent in 2010, while Northern Ireland experienced a rise of 2.8 per cent in 2009 – according to the latest available data.

It has been suggested by some commentators that the recession has made more people crave stability and turn to marriage to bring an element of it into their lives.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Amber Hunter, senior tutor at the Wedding Planner School, said: "The recession will play a part, marriages always go up in number during and following recessions, they always have.

"I think when people are feeling financially unstable they look for stability in their lives in other ways and marriage provides that."

The ONS data showed couples in their mid to late 20s accounted for the largest number of marriages in England and Wales during the year.