Chloe Glover (Reporter)
CHURCH weddings have hit an all time low in Spain.
Only 22.2% of 68,560 couples tied the knot at the country’s catholic altars in the first half of 2016.
That is a huge fall from the same period in the year 2000, when 75% had a Catholic ceremony.
Barcelona province had the lowest number of Christian ceremonies in mainland Spain, at only 10.5%.
Malaga saw the least in Andalucia, with 21.6%.
However, neighbouring Jaen had the highest in the country, at 53%.
Alfonso Pérez-Agote, a sociologist, says three main reasons explain the nose dive in Catholic weddings.
These are the impact of the economic crisis, which has left 34.4% of under 30s unemployed and a change in cultural views, which means marriage is not seen as important.
He added that growing secularisation also played a part.
“The young people of today are the children of those disinterested in religion.
“When they think of getting married, they don’t think of doing so in the church.”
My wife is an avid watcher of Spanish weddings, goes goofy over the dresses etc. But it all must cost an arm and leg. Church weddings being so public, the victims (sorry, happy couple) are forced to over-commit themselves financially. Don’t know what they actually spend, but a UK wedding can come in at twenty grand. Sensible?
Weddings may actually make a profit, at least, in northern Spain. Guests are expected to give at least €1000; much more if closer to the bride and groom.