But many young couples take a while longer to get around to it.

And when they do, tying the knot in a house or hotel is catching up with walking down the aisle.

Bermuda's changing views on marriage are revealed in the Registrar General's annual report, tabled in the House of Assembly last week.

In 1990 -- the most recent year documented -- 907 couples swapped wedding vows.

This is 23 up on 1989, and in keeping with a rising trend throughout the '80s.

According to the report, most newlyweds are aged between 20 and 29. But compared to 1989, the number of people in that age bracket dropped by 13 in 1990.

Meanwhile, the number in the 30-39 age group rose by 38.

"The 1990 overall numbers show that more people in the ten-year age categories of 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, and 60 to 69 married in 1990 than in 1989,'' the report states.

"This indicates that, although the tendency is for the majority of people in Bermuda to marry between the ages of 20 and 29 years, there is an increase in the number who are marrying after that age.'' Out of 7,450 weddings for the decade, 35.4 percent were civil marriages.

The rest were religious ceremonies held in churches or elsewhere, including homes and hotels.