Marriage

Marriage is a contract by which two people (usually a man and a woman) agree to live together as a couple for an extended period of time or for the rest of their lives with the aim of having children together and starting a family.

It can be done by signing a contract before a civil authority (civil marriage) or in a formal ceremony officiated by a religious authority.

The most common form of marriage is a legally binding heterosexual union. Some societies recognize polygamy, which includes polygyny and polyandry. In polygyny, a man may be married to many women; in polyandry a woman may be married to many men. In Senegal, for example, nearly 47 percent of marriages are multiple.^[1]

The most common age to get married is between 25 to 30 years old. In the Western world, marriage for love is common. In some other places, relatives may plan an arranged marriage.

1. ↑ Diouf, Nafi (May 2, 2004). "Polygamy hangs on in Africa". The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.