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Marriage is the legal joining together of a man and a woman, for life, to the exclusion of all others. Two types: Christian/religious marriage, and civil marriage. Why marry? To commit yourself to the person you love for a lifetime; to bring up children in a secure and loving home; to control and direct the sex instinct; friendship and companionship through life.
Purpose of Christian marriage
Procreation – having children
Union – a loving partnership of living together
Rearing children – providing nurture and security
Pattern for society – family unit of mutual support
One flesh – sexual intimacy
Sacred – blessed by God
Eternal -lifelong faithful relationship
Marriage and living together

Marriage is not popular as it used to be. The number of couples getting married for the first time has been falling steadily since the 1970s. Many people now choose simply to live together.

Many Christians believe that marriage is better because
A relationship cannot develop fully without marriage: there is always the fear of rejection and the worry that the other person might suddenly leave.

Quarrels matter more when couples are not married, because there is no commitment to staying together. Married couples will remember the vows they have made, and may try harder to sort out problems rather than walking away.

Marriage is the right context for having children; God intends children to be born into families where there are two parents who are married to each other.

The Roman Catholic Church holds that marriage is one of the seven sacraments, ie a symbol of the bond God creates with people.
In marriage, the love between a husband and wife shows something of the love of God.

Catholic priests must be celibate (not married) and chaste (sexually pure). This allows them to dedicate themselves to their work. In most other churches the leader is allowed to marry.

The Church of England teaches that marriage is a gift from God.
In marriage, two people (male and female) promise to be faithful for life, to love, comfort and honour each other, to stay together no matter what – good and bad, rich and poor, sickness and health.

Marriage is also for sex, and to create children and a stable family. Vicars are allowed to marry.
Christians believe that marriage is very important because within marriage, people learn about and express love, forgiveness, tolerance, comforting each other, celebrating together, appreciating each other’s qualities, and thinking about the well-being of another person.
They believe that through marriage, they learn more about God, because “God is love” (1 John 4).

Christian Weddings
Social occasion – a time for families and friends to get together.
Religious occasion – a time for worshipping God, makings solemn vows or promises in God’s name, thanking God for the gift of love and marriage, celebrating a joyful event in God’s presence, praying for the couple’s new life together and asking for God’s blessing on the couple in the future.—rsrevision.com