There was a total of 966 marriages in A.C. of the Basque Country in the first quarter of 2005, less than half the amount held in the fourth quarter of 2004 (2,185) and 22.8% less than in the same quarter of the previous year, according to Eustat data. Traditionally, it is typical for there to be fewer weddings in the first quarter of the year, especially in January and February.

As has been the case in other years, this quarter saw the greatest proportion of civil weddings (74.5%), outnumbering religious ceremonies and surpassing the percentage of civil weddings from the same period of last year by ten points. The percentage of civil weddings increased in all three provinces in relation to the same quarter of 2004, with Alava undergoing the greatest increase (18 percentage points), giving a figure of 85.2%. Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa increased by 11.6 and 5.6 percentage points, 74.2% and 73%, respectively.

The 966 weddings held in the first quarter of 2005 involved 941 men and 949 women resident in the A.C. of the Basque Country. For 828 grooms (88%) this was their first marriage, while there were 13 widowers and 100 divorcés who remarried. The percentage of women in their first marriage was similar to that of men: there were 830 first-time brides, 5 widows and 114 divorcées.

As regards the distribution of marriages according to the age of the couples, 73% of grooms were aged over 30, while for brides this percentage was 65%. These proportions are greater than those registered during 2004 (69% and 51%, respectively) meaning that, once more, this quarter saw the upward trend in the age of the marrying population continue.