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The fact that more over-65s are now filing for divorce is well documented (Quickie Divorce have reported on it previously and you can find the article here) but it would appear that an increasing number of OAPs are also rushing to the altar.

Figures release by the Office for National Statistics earlier today have revealed that the number of over-65s that tied the knot in 2012 grew by 21 per cent amongst females and 25 per cent amongst males.

The total number of couples that chose to marry increased by 5.3 per cent over the relevant period, but it was amongst the over-65s that the biggest increase was recorded.

In total, there were 262,240 weddings conducted in the UK in 2012, with the majority of those that wed aged between 25 and 29.

The number men marrying between the ages of 16 and 19  fell along with women between 35 and 39 and those over the age of 80, but increased among all other age groups.

Of those that were over the age of 65 at the time of their weddings, ten per cent were single and two-thirds divorced with those remaining having been widowed.

Commentators have posited that this figure could be attributed to the fact that, as people expect to live longer, they are happier to become married later in life.

The report from the ONS also revealed that men, on average, married at the age of 36 whilst women were most likely to marry at the age of 34. The report also claimed that a third of marriage will end in divorce before the couple reaches their twentieth anniversary, whilst another six per cent of couples will not reach this milestone as a result of one spouse having passed away. As a result, 60 per cent of couples are expected to make it to their twentieth anniversary and a further 16 per cent are expected to reach their 60th anniversaries.

The report also noted that couples that marry at older ages have a significantly lower chance of divorce.