UK Ranks 9th in Global Wedding Proposal Figures

The United Kingdom has secured 9th place globally in engagement and proposal interest, as revealed by a recent HenParty.ie analysis of global trends. With a score of 185, the UK demonstrates strong engagement enthusiasm, ranking just behind Ireland, which holds 6th place.

The global landscape of proposal interest is equally fascinating – It is Ghana leading the world with the highest score of 364, with countries like the United States and Australia also exhibiting a strong interest in proposals.

How Was the Data Gathered?

To compile these rankings, researchers at HenParty.ie analysed global Google search data over a 20-year period from 2004 to 2024. They focused on seven key search terms related to proposals and engagements: “how to propose,” “how to propose girl,” “engagement ring,” “unique engagement rings,” “proposal ring,” and “promise ring.” Search volumes for each country were aggregated to generate a final score, which determined the overall ranking.

We’re seeing such an exciting shift in how couples approach relationships these days compared to how things may have been 20-30 years ago! More and more people are choosing to take their time and explore other fun options like living together first or even travelling before tying the knot. The world has changed hugely in the past 2 decades and what we’re seeing now reflects that, yes we’re seeing a decline in marriage rates but also a noted uptick in people expressing an interest in engagements – It’s a symbolic thing.

Kate Hyde, Founder of HenParty.ie

Marriage Rates on the Decline, Engagements Up?

The research reflects how engagement remains a significant milestone for couples in the UK, even as marriage rates continue to decline. Marriage rates in the UK have been on a steady decline in recent years.

The research reflects how engagement remains a significant milestone for couples in the UK, even as marriage rates continue to decline. Marriage rates in the UK have been on a steady decline in recent years.

While marriage rates have steadily declined in the UK, from 6.4 per 1,000 in 2004 to 4.2 per 1,000 in 2023, engagement interest remains robust. Social media, personalized engagement rings, and bespoke proposals have fueled continued excitement around popping the question.

It’s interesting how these findings shake up what we usually think about engagements and marriage today. You might expect that high engagement interest would mean more weddings, but in the UK, the story is a bit more nuanced. Couples are still super excited about proposals, even if they’re choosing longer engagements or skipping marriage altogether. It really shows that for many, the proposal itself has become a cherished milestone – People may be living at home or not truly settled yet, but still want to commit to one another, it’s a unique situation.

Kate Hyde, Founder, HenParty.ie

Shift in UK Engagements -The New Normal
The average cost of a wedding in the UK has now reached an incredible level of around £20,000, this figure alongside the rise and normalisation of cohabitation outside of marriage, economic pressures and an unstable housing market mean newer generations are perhaps keen to mark their commitment to one another, but perhaps not so keen to splash out on the big day.

Global Comparisons
Countries with similarly high engagement interest include South Africa (211), Canada (210), and Zambia (200). In contrast, nations like Sweden and Norway show lower interest, reflecting varying cultural attitudes toward engagements.

Ireland & The United States – How Do our Neighbours Fair?

Ireland appears 3 places higher than the UK in this list in sixth position, however similarly to the UK and despite the clear enthusiasm towards engagements, Ireland faces a declining marriage rate, currently at 4.0 per 1,000 population in 2023 (CSO Figures), down from 5.1 in 2004.

The U.S takes second place as part of the research with a score of 314/700, no surprise given the country’s widespread wedding industry and the cultural importance placed on engagement proposals. Social media platforms, reality TV shows focused on weddings, and consumer-driven industries around engagement rings, venues and ceremonies drive consistent interest in proposals. Generally in the United States the marriage rate has declined also, according to CDC figures the marriage rate was about 7.8 marriages per 1000 in 2004, this had dropped to around 6.1 in 2019, the COVID pandemic in 2020 created a historical low of 5.1 which has since rebounded to pre-pandemic levels – All in all however, marriages are in the decline.