Research carried out by the National Office for Statistics has revealed that the number of couples tying the knot has fallen over the past decade.

In 2008 just 51% of adults registered as being married in comparison with 58% back in 1998.

In 1979 around 75% of women in the 18 - 49 age bracket were married, but by last year that figure has fallen to less than 50%.

Yet the numbers of unmarried women in the same age bracket living with a partner almost tripled over the same period.

It is believed that fall in the numbers of weddings taking place has been accelerated as a result of the credit crunch, with the cost of the average wedding having increased by 50% over the last ten years to over £21,000.

But it would appear that there are still couples who want to get married regardless of economic circumstances.

Stephen and Delyth Toghill, a Welsh couple who got married last summer, saved up for more than two years for their wedding and revealed that they always intended to get married.

Stephen commented:-

“If we had been short of money we would have just had a smaller wedding.

You can get hitched on next to nothing if you really want to.

The problem is people are too materialistic and the whole marriage thing is becoming less important.

I know a lot of couples who live together but are not married– most of them don’t see the point.”

Christine Hamilton, TV presenter and wife of former MP Neil Hamilton, has been wed for more than 18 years and says that government initiatives ought to be designed to encourage more couples to tie the knot.

She said:-

“The key to a healthy marriage is determination to make it work.

Nowadays marriage is all too often regarded as disposable, like a nappy.

I think it’s a real shame less people are getting hitched and it’s bad for our society.

I know a couple who have put off their wedding for at least a year until they can afford it.”