For: Marriage Records

Marriage is a social, religious/spiritual, or legal union of individuals.

Marriage is an institution in which interpersonal relationships (usually intimate and sexual) are acknowledged by the state or by religious authority. 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, and economic stability; the formation of a family unit; procreation and the education and nurturing of children; legitimizing sexual relations; public declaration of love; or to obtain citizenship.

Marriage may take many forms: for example, a union between one man and one woman as husband and wife is a monogamous heterosexual marriage; polygamy in which a person takes more than one spouse is common in many societies. Recently, some jurisdictions and denominations have begun to recognize same-sex marriage, uniting people of the same sex.Fact: date=September 2008

A marriage is often formalized during a marriage ceremony, which may be performed either by a religious officiant, by a secular State authorised officiator, or (in weddings that have no church or state affiliation) by a trusted friend of the wedding participants. The act of marriage usually creates normative or legal obligations between the individuals involved and, in many societies, their extended families.

Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares that "Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution. Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses." The Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam gives men and women the "right to marriage" regardless of their race, colour or nationality, but not religion.

Selection of a partner

main: Arranged Marriage

The selection of a marriage partner may involve either the couple going through a selection process of courtship or the marriage may be arranged by the couples' parents or an outside party.

Typically an arranged marriage will be finalized only with the approval of the coupleFact: date=June 2008, though parents sometimes enforce arranged marriages on their children because of cultural tradition or for some other special reason (e.g., dowry).Fact: date=June 2008 Sometimes a person seeking marriage is comfortable with having his or her marriage arranged and, even disregarding parental preference, would freely choose an arranged marriage.Fact: date=June 2008 Forced marriage is common in only a few communities and often attracts harsh criticism even from people who are generally in favor of arranged marriage.Fact: date=October 2007