High house prices are undermining marriage because people can't afford a home AND a wedding, claims High Court judge Sir Paul Coleridge said cost of housing is 'real danger' to marriage Claims many settle for other arrangements which are prone to break-up Large proportion of couples say getting married is 'too expensive' Warning: High court judge Sir Paul Coleridge says couples aren't getting married because they cannot afford to buy a house together as well A high court judge said today soaring house prices are undermining marriage because couples can't afford to buy a house and pay for a wedding. Sir Paul Coleridge claimed many people put off getting married because until they cannot afford to buy a property together as well. Instead they settle for other arrangements such as living together and are more prone to break-ups. A conference tomorrow organised by the Marriage Foundation - which was set up by Sir Paul - will discuss a new survey which found that although most people want to get married, nearly one in five London couples say they have yet to do so because they cannot afford to buy a home. A large proportion also said that getting married was 'too expensive'. Sir Paul, who presides at the High Court over family law cases involving relationship breakdowns and child welfare, said marriage remained a 'popular and cherished institution'. But he added: 'Too many people are forced to delay marriage while entering into significant financial commitments and starting families and are ill-equipped to manage the risks this entails. 'When we ask people why they have not married they come with a range of answers: the cost of weddings, waiting to be asked, not getting round to it, nothinking it's necessary, or the cost of housing. Danger: Most people want to get married, but 40 per cent of couples in London are delaying because of the cost There is a real danger here. People can slide into ever greater commitments without ever making a decision to be a couple,' he said. ' Without such commitment, the build-up of constraints can lead to the breakdown of relationship. The survey for the Marriage Foundation, carried out by law firm Seddons, found that 40 per cent of couples in the capital said they were delaying marriage because it is too expensive to proceed. Sixteen per cent said they have yet to marry because they cannot afford to buy a home together. Nearly six out of ten Londoners said they wanted to get married.