The 14 types of marriages that exist (and their characteristics)

Marriage represents the union between two people, but there are very different types.

Marriage represents the union between two people that is regulated by law, but you will be surprised how many types there are.

The ideal state of the human being is to be accompanied and having the company of a partner makes life much easier, entertaining and fun (although of course, there are exceptions), but generally speaking, living as a couple is everyone's fairy tale. After all, every love story ends in the same result, a beautiful wedding and the promise of a "together forever".

But, did you know that there are different types of marriages in the world? Surely you have heard a couple of them, however in this article we will tell you about some of them that may surprise you.

What is marriage?

When two people unite, it is usually under the figure of marriage, whose meaning is derived from the expression 'matris munium', which comes from two Latin words: 'Matris', which means mother and 'Munium' which translates as encumbrance or care. Which, when joined together, means "care of the mother by the husband or father".

This is because the mother was considered as the one who carried on her shoulders the formation and upbringing of the children.. There is also another version that states that marriage comes from 'matreum muniens', which expresses the defense and protection of the mother and the obligation of the father towards her and the children. Marriage is considered the fundamental basis of society and is a custom that legally formalizes the union of a couple.

History of marriage

Since the creation of the world, the couple has been present in the history of mankind. The bible already told us that God put Adam to sleep and from his rib he took a woman to be his companion (Eve). As the years went by, the definition of marriage was very different according to the culture, for example, the Egyptians considered both members of the couple important and principal, while the Greeks differentiated between the man and the woman.

For their part, the Sumerians saw marriage as a contract between the father or guardian of the woman and the man she would marry, which he could terminate when he saw fit and without permission. The Jews practice polygamy, as reflected in the holy scriptures about the prophet Abraham, Sarah and her concubine Hagar (an example that Mormons use to practice polygamy).

The Romans had two ways of looking at marriage, one way was to invite the neighbors to a party and steal the daughters, this was called consensual abduction, a tradition practiced today by gypsies. The other way was the marriage by Coemptio or reciprocal purchase, where both spouses pretended to buy each other with gifts, very traditional among commoners, who married for love and not for paternal obligation.

At the end of the Ancient Age, the medieval Catholic Church took control of ethics and good customs, where it began to establish marriage as an equal union before God, but not before the law of man. Monogamy is imposed as the only legal union, consanguineous marriage is prohibited and marriage is decreed as indissoluble.

At the present time, societies are constantly changing and this leads to see marriage in different ways.In many people, living as a couple and having children is a fundamental part of their lives, but without resorting to traditional marriage.

Types of marriages that exist

Now that you know its origin, now discover all the types of marriages discover all the types of marriages that are still in force today, and the characteristics of each one.and the characteristics of each one.

1. Religious marriage

It varies according to the beliefs of each religion professed by the bride and groom.. In this sense, the Catholic religion sees marriage as a union blessed by God, which is indissoluble and only ends with the death of one of the spouses, does not accept the union between people of the same sex.

To marry in the Catholic Church, the spouses must be baptized, confirmed and have received their first communion, while the ceremony is performed by the priest of the chosen church.

Jews see marriage as a complementation and the way in which the human being is integrated. For those who practice Islam, marital union is a contract between families. Whereas for Buddhism, it is only a legal requirement that is neither forbidden nor obligatory.

2. Civil marriage

It is that union that is formalized before the laws of each country and does not follow a religious rite, but does not exclude religious marriage.It does not exclude religious marriage, but in many cultures both types of marriage occur simultaneously. The couple must be of legal age or have the permission of parents, representatives or guardians, in the case of minors.

They must not have been married before, in case of divorce and/or widowhood, they must present the divorce decree and/or death certificate, respectively.

3. Equal Marriage

Also called gay or homosexual marriageis the legal union between two persons of the same sex. In many countries this marriage is not legal, while others such as Spain recognize this union with all the privileges of a traditional marriage.

4. Trial Marriage

The trial marriage or tri-marriage is a union between three people, either two men and a woman, two women and a man, three men and a woman, or three women and a man.whether two men and one woman, two women and one man, three women or three men. It does not refer to the union of one person with two others in separate ceremonies, but rather the trio is united based on love and the desire to live under the laws of marriage.

This type of marriage is illegal in many countries but there are others where there is no law prohibiting it.

5. Domestic Partnership

This is a free union between two people, whether or not they are of the same sex.. It is not considered a legal union since it is not subject to any law. Although both persons have the same obligations, duties and rights as married spouses under the figure of civil marriage.

6. Child marriage

It is the one that takes place when one of the contracting parties is a minor.Usually this type of marriage is between a girl and an older man. It is considered a forced marriage and although it is repudiated by the United Nations, in many countries such as India this union is very common.

7. Arranged marriage

This is a type of marriage typical of countries such as Asia, the Middle East, Africa and in some regions of Latin America, where a third person, by marriage, is the sole partner in the marriage.In this type of marriage, a third person, usually the parents, chooses the spouses. The bride and groom have the power to accept or not the union.

8. Marriage by abduction

Also called bride kidnapping, it is a very common practice throughout history, where a man abducts or kidnaps a woman to unite with her against her will.

It is a very repudiated fact by laws and organizations since women are subjected to physical and sexual violence, in addition to having unwanted pregnancies. There are still cultures that endorse this type of union and it is common in countries in Central Asia, Africa, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and the Amazon jungle in South America.

9. Polygamy

It is an uncommon type of marriage, although some religions support it, It consists of the union of a man with several women.However, there is also the union of a woman with several men and it is known as polyandry, although it is very rare.

In most countries it is an illegal union and the husband is considered a bigamist, which is punishable by law. In some states of the United States this union is permitted.

10. Endogamy

Endogamous marriage is that type of union in which the partners belong to the same family, either cousins or relatives in the same family.The marriage may be a cousin or second-degree relative. It can also refer to the union between individuals belonging to the same ethnic, religious or lineage group and is intended to prevent other individuals from belonging to the group.

11. Forced marriage

Although it is a type of marriage in which one of the parties (especially women) is forced (usually by their parents) to marry an unwilling man, this union does not respect human rights and is considered a form of slavery.. It still exists today in many regions of Asia and Africa.

12. White marriage

It is considered a fraud and carries serious legal consequences.It is a union of convenience in which one or both spouses obtain a benefit either financially or legally. There is no sexual relationship between them (hence the name) or any kind of feelings, in most cases one of the partners receives financial compensation for facilitating the scam.

13. Levirate marriage

Consists of the obligatory union of a widowed woman who has not had a child with a brother of her deceased husband.In many towns today, this type of marriage is very common. In case it is the man who is widowed, he marries a sister of his deceased wife and this union is known as sororal marriage.

14. Marriage in extremis

Also called marriage by cause of death, it is performed when a contracting party is about to die.In this case, the law ignores some formalities that in normal circumstances are obligatory.

Each religion has its own ideas and protocols that define marriage, likewise, the laws in each country may vary in order to validate the marriage union.