Ceremonial marriage is a common form of
marriage
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
in which a couple follows laws and procedures specified by the state in order to gain recognition of their marriage (ex. buying a
marriage license
A marriage license (or marriage licence in Commonwealth spelling) is a document issued, either by a religious organization or state authority, authorizing a couple to marry. The procedure for obtaining a license varies between jurisdictio ...
, participating in a ceremony led by an authorized official, having witnesses at a ceremony). They are often accompanied by
wedding
A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...
s, and have different forms, reflecting particular religious and philosophical views of the couple.
Ceremonial marriage is an opposite to
common-law marriage
Common-law marriage, also known as non-ceremonial marriage, marriage, informal marriage, or marriage by habit and repute, is a legal framework where a couple may be considered married without having formally registered their relation as a civil ...
.
Types of marriage
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