Marriage rates across WA have fallen to their lowest level on record as young people give a walk down the aisle a big miss.

Those West Australians who do tie the knot are ditching religious ceremonies, with fewer than one in five weddings now officiated by a minister or priest.

Last year, there were 12,317 marriages in WA — down 400 marriages on 2015 — taking the marriage rate to its lowest on record at just 4.7 per 1000 people.

Nationally, the number of marriages rose to more than 118,000 but this was mainly because of a 21 per cent jump in Victoria.

In 1996, more than 53 per cent of all marriages in WA were carried out by a religious celebrant. Last year, this had fallen to just 19.2 per cent. WA joined Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory where more than 80 per cent of marriages were civil ceremonies.

West Perth couple Stefan Berger and Crystal Brown got engaged on September 16. Mr Berger surprised his bride-to-be with a bottle of wine with a “will you marry me” label on the front.

Ms Brown said they were planning a simple, civil ceremony with family and friends.

She said marriage might be on the wane in WA but she had no doubts about a long-term commitment to her prospective husband.

“I know this sounds cheesy but I just can’t see my life without him,” she said.