Sometimes, it might not be a case of priorities but mainly one of parents not having enough money to support their children through marriage or their children themselves not being financially ready. Its just the way the system works in the UK (and the West in general and increasingly in other parts of the world), people spend their childhood and early adult years in compusary education or persue higher education in the hope that the extra qualifications can land them a good job so as to be able to live a comfortable life, which doesn't necessarily mean they're materialistic, but just don't wan't any financial worries. However, what might be a good idea is that everyone starts saving up for marriage as soon as they start earning money from a young age as much as they can afford to as some people may need to contribute their entire pay slip for the running of the house.