CHRISTMAS WEDDINGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23690, 23 December 1938, Page 7

CHRISTMAS WEDDINGS

RUSH FOR LICENCES REGISTRY AND CHURCHES BUSY HIGHER WAGES RESPONSIBLE (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND. Dec. 22. Yuletide marriages have been so numerous this year that they promise to make this one of the most notable Christmas periods in the history of Auckland. Up to to-day, 642 marriages had been performed in Auckland since the beginning of December as compared with 573 over the corresponding period of last year. Each succeeding day has witnessed an increasing number of weddings, a large proportion of the month’s total having been solemnised within the past few days. Church weddings have been held in all but 67 cases where the couples were married by the Registrar of Marriages, who has arranged for at least 10 more marriages in his office to-morrow. It is also reported that many churches in the city and suburbs have been reserved for weddings to take place to-morrow in the daytime as well as in the evening. Further weddings have been arranged for Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, after which there will be a comparative lull until the New Year week-end. Marriage licences being valid for three months, it is difficult to gauge how many weddings will occur at Christmas. The Registrar had issued 311 certificates for the month up to closing time to-day, making a total for the year of 3094, as against 2826 up to the same day of last year. It is expected, in view of the demand for licences in the Past few days, that a large number will again be issued to-morrow before the Registry Office is closed for the holidays. “ It is evident that the increased earnings of young people fco-dav has been responsible for the large number of marriages that have been performed recently,” said one of the officers of the registry. * Young people mostly in their twenties form the bulk of those whose weddings have taken place in the past month and who have taken out marriage licences with a vievi to being married within the holiday season. Records of the ages of brides and grooms revealed that 23 was the most popular age for marriage. The eldest groom of the month was bo years of age and his bride was 26. and there was another couple whose respective ages were 62 and 61 years. There were several couples in their fifties and a few about 40. but by far the most were aged between 20 and 30. The ages of the youngest bride and groom were 17 and to respectively, although there were several brides aged 18 and a greater number aged 19.