Marriages

Marriage is a social, religious, spiritual, emotional and/or legal union of individuals that creates kinship. This union may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is usually called a wedding and the married status created is sometimes called wedlock. Marriage is an institution in which interpersonal relationships (usually intimate and sexual) are acknowledged by the state, by religious authority, or both. It is often viewed as a contract. Civil marriage is the legal concept of marriage as a governmental institution, in accordance with marriage laws of the jurisdiction. If recognized by the state, by the religion(s) to which the parties belong or by society in general, the act of marriage changes the personal and social status of the individuals who enter into it. People marry for many reasons, but usually one or more of the following: legal, social, emotional, and economic stability; the formation of a family unit; procreation and the education and nurturing of children; legitimizing sexual relations; public declaration of love.Marriage practices are very diverse across cultures and may take many forms. Some examples include: A heterosexual marriage uniting a man and woman as husband and wife (also known as a monogamous heterosexual marriage)A same-sex marriage uniting a man and a man as husband and husband, or a woman and a woman as wife and wife (also known as a monogamous homosexual marriage).Polygamy in which a person takes more than one spouse has historical precedent in the Old Testament (for example, Abraham). While illegal in most Western societies as many others, it still remains common in some societies.Most countries where polygamy is still legal are moving to repeal those laws.A marriage is often formalized by a ceremony called a wedding,which in modern times is usually performed by a religious minister or a civil officer. The act of marriage usually creates normative or legal obligations between the individuals involved. In some societies these obligations also extend to certain family members of the married persons.