Throughout human history, a couple's wedding night has signified a consummation, but a new poll via the Daily Mail reveals that half of newlyweds do not have sex on the night of their wedding, often due to exhaustion or being too drunk.

The latest poll questioned 2,138 people who were married in the last three years, and 52 percent admitted to not having sex on the night of their wedding, while 17 percent say they waited at least three days until after the ceremony was over.

As for the 52 percent who reported not making love the night of the big day, 24 percent blamed it on the groom being too drunk to participate, while 16 percent said the bride was too tired and fell asleep, likely as most of the preparation duties for the big day tend to fall on the bride-to-be. 

In comparison, just thirteen percent reported that the bride was too drunk, and a mere four percent said that the groom was too tired.

"The emphasis of wedding night sex for married couples is no longer a huge factor," said George Charles, marketing director of Voucher Codes Pro, which commissioned the survey. "It may be that the stress and pressure of organizing a wedding takes the main priority, especially considering such a large proportion of couples have been living together for years."

Other reported reasons for not having sex on the night of wedding included having to look after children (11 percent), an argument occuring before the reception ended (9 percent), staying up all night partying with guests (7 percent), or neither the brime nor the groom being in the mood (4 percent).