Couples in Fermanagh are deciding to tie the knot younger, and according to statistics, August is the most popular month to do so.
So far this year the average age of couples getting married is 26, according to a local church register.
The average ago recorded on the marriage register at St Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen has steadily decreased from 33 in 2017.
While some couples in Fermanagh may be opting to get wed younger across the country in general average ages remain higher. Statistics released by the Central Statistics Office show that the average age of the Irish groom is 36.4 years. Bordering county Monaghan had the lowest average age for brides and grooms in Ireland.
The CSO also outlined that over a quarter of opposite-sex couples are choosing a civil marriage over the past year. Having said that, religious weddings are still far ahead with approximately 55 percent of all weddings either classified as Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland or other religious.
CSO recorded 2850 weddings in August last year. Locally in this Council area 721 marriages were registered in 2017/18, down slightly on 789 in 2016/17.
Further research has claimed that Fermanagh residents are spending less on wedding gifts than five years ago.
The average wedding guest in Fermanagh this year is said to spend £68.67 on a gift, according to Cosy Owl.
The company say this reflects a deflation rate of 37 per cent when compared to 2014.
The study adds that in Fermanagh, couples had the highest expectations, saying they expect their guests to spend a whopping £85.96 on a gift on average! £17.29 more than what guests were willing to pay.
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