Popularity of church weddings sharply down in Finland

Decline since 2000 is steeper than over the previous thirty years

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The proportion of church weddings out of all marriages has collapsed since the beginning of the current millennium.
      In 2000, 80 % of all new married couples wanted their marriage to be officiated by a pastor in church, whereas last year, the figure was only 60 %.
      The popularity of church weddings has dropped particularly clearly among those who have married the first or second time, while those who have taken the plunge for a third time have chosen a church wedding nearly as often as previously.
     
Approximately 17,600 wedding ceremonies out of the total of 29,500 were conducted in church last year. Seven years earlier the number of new marriages was slightly smaller or 26,150, while more than 18,600 of them were officiated in church.
      In the course of seven years, the proportion of church weddings came down more than in the three previous decades, as in 1970 the number of those who had married in church was almost 90 % of all new married couples.
      Last year the number of matrimonies entered into by church members was 26,900, while 17,600 or 65 % of the ceremonies were officiated by a pastor. In 2000, the corresponding proportion was 80 %.
     
If a couple wants a church wedding, at least one of them has to belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church and even the other one has to belong to a Christian church or community.
      The proportion of church members among the population has been gradually declining, and last year 81.7% of all Finns belonged to the church.
      It could be expected that the popularity of church ceremonies would have declined at the same pace with the church membership, and it is true that the popularity of baptisms has followed the same trend.
      The proportion of church funerals has declined only slightly, as last year a Christian funeral was arranged for 96 % of all deceased.
      However, the popularity of church weddings has come down unusually steeply, and at the same time, the contribution of pastors at weddings appears to have decreased.
      Last November, pastors attended every third bridal reception on average and made a speech in 40 % of them. Four years earlier the corresponding figures had been 45 % and 45 %.
     
In a recent publication entitled Monikasvoinen kirkko (”The Many-Faced Church”), the Church Research Institute evaluates that the decline in the popularity of church weddings could be partly attributable to the improved services of municipal administrative courts.
      The administrative courts no longer conduct civil ceremonies only during office hours, but it is possible to ask a district registrar to come and conduct the marriage ceremony practically at any time and at any venue chosen, outside the registrar’s office as well.
     
The popularity of church weddings should by rights still be on a steady foundation, indicates a questionnaire conducted last year.
      After all, church ceremonies continue to be among the most essential reasons to belong to the church in Finland. In fact around 90 % of all church members regard them either as very important or rather important reasons to belong to the church.
      According to the same survey, only one in 100 respondents felt that the church had handled the wedding ceremony poorly.
     
As the link from earlier this year indicates, even with a decline in popularity for church weddings, there are enough people who still want to get spliced in church to cause pressure on the most popular churches.
      Bookings have to be made a long time in advance for the right days and the most popular venues.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  One in three wants civil wedding in Finland (25.2.2005)

See also:
  Wedding churches are being reserved apace for summer of 2009 (7.5.2008)

Links:
  Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
  Church Research Institute

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