marriage-a social union or legal contract

What is the meaning of the institution of marriage in your country or culture .Share the formal procedures of the celebration.People marry for many reasons, including one or more of the following: legal, social, emotional, economical, spiritual, and religious. These might include arranged marriages, family obligations, the legal establishment of a nuclear family unit, the legal protection of children and public declaration of commitment.There is a wide cross-cultural variation.Let us learn it by sharing the ways,celebrations and customs of different countries.