• Matrimonial traditions vary from country to country and culture to culture. Matrimony, or marriage, can be entered into for legal or religious reasons. Some marriages are arranged and some, of course, take place for the good old-fashioned reason that two people love each other. Whatever the reason for a matrimonial joining, the end result is the same -- two people sharing a life.
  
  

Religious Marriages

• Religious marriages usually take place with all of the traditional pomp and circumstance associated with the couple's religion and its practices. Reverent and often extravagant, religious ceremonies universally intend that the union of the couple will be for life. Churches and temples are typical settings for these ceremonies, which are generally conducted by priests, ministers, rabbis, and other such spiritual guides. Regardless of whether the couple is Catholic, Wiccan or Jewish, whether the traditions are American, Greek or Chinese, religious ceremonies tend to be solemn and are usually attended by family and friends.
  
  

Civil Marriages

• Civil marriages are a more subdued event, often performed by a judge or a justice of the peace in an office or ante-chamber, and there are no religious aspects to the ceremonies. One witness is required and, typically, there is no more than a handful of guests in attendance, if any. This type of ceremony is often chosen by couples who decide to marry spontaneously, who feel that they are too busy for an extravagant event and who are simply partial to discretion.
  
  

Symbolic Marriages

• Symbolic marriages are often performed for those who cannot legally be married, such as same-sex couples. They can include all of the traditionalism and extravagance of religious ceremonies or the quietness of civil services, as the couple prefers. The meaning behind symbolic marriages is just as great as the meaning behind any legally sanctioned marriage and should, therefore, not be considered any less sacred or binding.
  
  

Arranged Marriage

• Arranged marriages are contracted between two families for many purposes, including settling feuds, financial gain and property acquisition. The tradition is ancient and is still commonly practiced in over 40 countries. Often, the bride and groom meet for the first time on their wedding day, remaining complete strangers right up until they take their vows. The couple is obligated to uphold the union in fulfillment of the agreement between their families. Arranged marriages as are sacred and binding in their cultures as voluntary marriages--the primary difference between the two is the couple's relationship. Sometimes love grows between the strangers brought together by family arrangement, sometimes a respectful and trusting friendship develops and sometimes no understanding is ever reached. The emotional end result of either type of union, however, seems equally unpredictable.
  
  

Renewal of Vows

• Vow renewals are popular with husbands and wives who want to reaffirm their commitment to each other. Sometimes, the decision to renew vows is made by a couple who married in a civil service and now wants to share a more traditional or extravagant service with ceremony, family and friends. It may be that the couple went through a difficult time and emerged with a renewed sense of their love for each other and they wish to celebrate that feeling. The reasons for vow renewals are many and unrestricted. It's a personal choice that any married couple is free to make.