Couples are picking destination wedding venues in Michigan

The rate at which people are saying "I do" in Michigan is dropping.

The marriage rate hit a historic low during the first year of the pandemic. In 2020 there were nearly 42,000 marriages a rate of about 8 married persons per 1,000 residents ― a 50% decline from three decades prior when the marriage rate was 16 married persons per 1,000 residents, according to state data.

Forty-six states, including Michigan, and the District of Columbia saw marriage rates decrease in 2020 when many couples faced delays during the first year of the pandemic.

"All of a sudden, people couldn't get married — how their vision was to get married," said Adam Johnson, owner of the Michigan-based photography firm Brockit Inc. "So people were canceling them, they would just go to the courthouse … or push their weddings out really far."

Two years later, marriage rates in Michigan are coming back but remain below pre-pandemic levels.

More: Michigan couples grapple with whether to postpone weddings — or go ahead with it

What is the typical age when people first marry?

More people are waiting until they are older to get married. Last year the median age for men and women at first marriage was about 30 and 28 years old, respectively.

In the early 1960s the median age was 22 and 20 years old for men and women, respectively ― about eight years younger at their first marriage compared to last year, according to data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Where are the most popular wedding destinations in Michigan?

Mackinac County, home to Mackinac Island, tops the list. Last year, 424 marriages took place in sparsely populated Mackinac County — a rate of 78 married persons per 1,000 residents, the highest marriage rate in the state.

Mackinac County has a number of wedding venues, including Mackinac State Historic Parks. Thirty-one wedding ceremonies were held at the parks' Mackinac Island locations in Mackinac County last year, according to a spokesperson.

The northernmost county in the Upper Peninsula, Keweenaw, had the second-highest marriage rate last year, followed by Leelanau County in the northern Lower Peninsula.

Keweenaw County is a place where Johnson says he photographs weddings and elopements all the time. "We can tour our out-of-town, out-of-state guests and show them waterfalls, lighthouses and the waves crashing on the rocks from Lake Superior," he said. "It's very eclectic up there."

Marina Alexander, 27, from Hancock, Michigan, grew up with her family spending the summer in Keweenaw and winter in Kentucky. She met her husband, Tomas Sowles of Maine, on Isle Royale National Park where they both work.

During the first year of the pandemic, the couple got engaged and made plans to get married on the island. Just weeks before the wedding, drought conditions combined with lightning strikes during an August storm sparked multiple fires on the island. It was the third-largest wildfire in Isle Royale's history, burning a total of 335 acres.

"That was very stressful as a bride, to decide whether or not you're going to cancel or not," Alexander said.

But, in early September 2021, the couple finally got married on Isle Royale under blue skies in front of about 70 friends and family members.

"It was just kind of a perfect little location for us, where we met, and where we got engaged," she said, "… a really beautiful place."

What is the most popular month to get married?

The number of marriages increased over the summer months and peaked in October last year. December was the least popular month for Michigan marriages.

What are some of the requirements to marry in Michigan?

A marriage license is required from the county clerk where one of the applicants resides. After a typical three-day waiting period, a marriage license is valid for 30 days and can occur anywhere in the state. Couples that live out-of-state but want to marry in the Mitten State should contact the county clerk where the marriage will occur. The cost for a marriage license is $20 if at least one applicant is a Michigan resident. Non-residents pay a higher fee of $30.

How does Michigan compare to other states?

Michigan ranks below the national average at 5 marriages per 1,000 residents, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationwide, there were about 6 marriages per 1,000 residents in 2021.

Nevada and Hawaii, tops on the list, have long been destinations of choice for couples looking for wedding locations.

Kristi Tanner is a data reporter. Contact her at ktanner@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @midatalove.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Where are the best wedding venues in Michigan?