After marrying Visconti in 1971, Hopkin withdrew from the pop music scene to have a family. Although reportedly unhappy with show business, Hopkin did not stop recording. She travelled to Australia with Visconti in January 1972 and performed at a large outdoor rock festival in South Australia, as well as giving concerts in several major cities. With the help of Visconti, 1972 saw the release of the Christmas song "Mary Had a Baby" / "Cherry Tree Carol" on Regal Zonophone Records, which was re-released in 1973. Later that year, the single "Summertime Summertime" / "Sweet And Low" was released on Bell Records under the name of Hobby Horse.
Although no other singles or albums came out in her name until 1976, she sang on numerous recordings that her husband Visconti produced, such as those featuring Tom Paxton, Ralph McTell, David Bowie (Low), Bert Jansch, The Radiators From Space, Thin Lizzy, Carmen, Sarstedt Brothers, Osibisa, Sparks, Hazel O`Connor and Elaine Paige.
On all of these recordings (and also on her husband`s own album Inventory) she is credited as Mary Visconti. During this time, she also appeared on various TV shows such as Cilla Black`s and various radio programmes.
In 1976, she returned to recording under her own name, and released the single "If You Love Me (I Won`t Care)" (originally recorded by Édith Piaf), which reached #32 in the UK chart.[2] The B-side, "Tell Me Now", was an original composition by Hopkin. Her next single was "Wrap Me In Your Arms", with the B-side again written by Hopkin ("Just A Dreamer"). These singles came out on Visconti`s Good Earth Records label. Several songs recorded for an album at the time have now been released under Hopkin`s own label, Mary Hopkin Music.
Two members of Steeleye Span (Bob Johnson and Pete Knight) chose Hopkin to play "Princess Lirazel" on their concept album The King of Elfland`s Daughter. She also appeared at the Cambridge Folk Festival with Bert Jansch. 1976 also saw the birth of her second child. Before the 1970s ended, Decca released a compilation album of Hopkin`s Cambrian recordings, The Welsh World of Mary Hopkin.
Hopkin and Visconti divorced in 1981.