Sociology - Families - Changing patterns of marriage

Trends - Marriage

-First time marriages are decreasing
-Remarriages are increasing
-Age of first time marriage is increasing
-Increasing in same-sex marriages

Reasons

-Secularisation
-Changing attitudes
-Changing position of women
-Increasing cost of marriage
-Increase in divorce/changes to divorce laws
-Changes in law

Impacts

-Less married nuclear families
-More cohabiting couples
-More reconstituted families
-Serial monogamy
-More couples cohabitate before marriage

Is marriage still important?

Yes
-Remarriages are increasing
-Same-sex marriages are increasing
-Married persons tax allowance was introduced (policies encourage marriage)
-People still aspire to be
married

No
-First time marriages are
decreasing
-Cohabitation is more
acceptable
-Divorce is increasing (suggesting marriage isn't valued)
-Some couples choose a civil partnership
-Changing relationships
Changing