It's funny about the "marriage as religious act" thing, because I've always seen it as a community act - marriages always seem to be something you declare before witnesses, and usually before the entire town/village/family/group. The religious aspect of it, well, yes, you're taking a vow before God, that's for sure, but I always saw that more as a natural result of the role of religion in the community - and again, marriage as community act.

But WTF do I know, I'd rather eat a live scorpion with my hands tied behind my back than ever get married. ;) Still, for the sake of my brother and everyone else who can't marry their partner because of plumbing issues, I have given it some thought....