@RANGIEBABY The difference between civil marriage and religious?
Civil marriage is about laws. When you get legally married you are basically legally making a contract with the otehr person. It governs ownership of property, shared money gained during the marriage, parental rights for children born during the marriage, how you are taxed by the federal government, the list goes on and one. I always say getting married is the one contract you sign without actually getting to read the documents. Technically you could read through the laws related to civil marriage, but who does?
Religious marriage is also a type of contract between the two peolpe, but in the eyes of the law it is much like a verbal contract, not inforceable, and does not afford both parties many of the rights and protections they would get if legally married. Some states do have laws protecting couples who have been living together for several years, known as a common law marriage.
My husband’s parents did their civil marriage first, and then a week later had a rushed church wedding at the instance of her mother. My sister-in-law did both in the same day, but they were separate events on the day of the wedding. They are Mexican, and in Mexico it is kept very separate. Interesting that in some ways Mexico, typically referred to as a Catholic Country takes some very careful steps to keep church and state very separate.
I think Americans mush it all together, and barely know what they are getting into legally when they get married.