Ceremonial marriage is a common form of

marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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 jurisdictions ...

blood testing A blood test is a laboratory analysis performed on a blood sample that is usually extracted from a vein in the arm using a hypodermic needle, or via fingerprick. Multiple tests for specific blood components, such as a glucose test or a choleste ...

, 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 in which two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnicity, ethnicities, Race (human categorization), races, religions, Religious denomination, denominations, Cou ...

s, and have different forms, reflecting particular religious and philosophical views of the couple.

References

Types of marriage {{marriage-stub