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

Marriage represents the union between two people which 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 it is that 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 the fairy tale of everyone. After all, every love story ends in the same result, a beautiful wedding and the promise of "together forever."

• It may interest you: "The 14 types of couple: how is your romantic relationship?"

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

What is marriage?

When two people come together, it is usually done 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 lien or care. Which, when put together, means "care of the mother by the husband or father."

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

Marriage history

Since the creation of the world, the couple has been present in the history of humanity. The bible already told us that God made Adam sleep and took the woman out of his rib to be his companion (Eve). As the years passed, the definition of marriage was very different depending on the culture, for example, the Egyptians considered the two members of the couple important and main, while the Greeks made differences between man and the woman.

For their part, the Sumerians saw marriage as a contract between the woman's father or guardian and the man she would marry, which she could terminate when he saw fit and without permission any. Jews practice polygamy, as reflected in the holy scriptures about the prophet Abraham, Sarah, and her concubine Hagar (an example 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 stealing their daughters, this was called consensual abduction, a tradition practiced by gypsies today. The other way was the marriage by Coemptio or reciprocal purchase, where both spouses pretended to buy each other mutually with gifts, very traditional among commoners, who married out of love and not out of obligation paternal.

At the end of the Old Age, the medieval Catholic Church takes control of ethics and good customs, where it begins 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.

Currently, Societies are constantly changing and this leads to seeing marriage in different waysLiving as a couple and having children is a fundamental part of many people but without resorting to traditional marriage.

Types of marriage that exist

Since you knew its origin, now discover all the types of marriage that are still valid today, and the characteristics of each one.

1. Religious marriage

It varies according to the beliefs of each religion that the couple profess. 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 be married in the Catholic Church, the contracting parties must be baptized, confirmed and have received his first communion, while the ceremony is performed by the priest of the church chosen.

The Jews see marriage as a complement and it is the way in which the human being integrates. For those who practice Islam, the conjugal union is a contract that is made between families. While for Buddhism it is only a legal requirement that is not prohibited nor is it mandatory.

2. Civil marriage

It is that union that is formalized before the laws of each country and does not follow a religious rite, but it does not exclude religious marriage, 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, if they are minors.

They must not be previously married, in case of divorce and / or widowhood, present the divorce decree and / or the death certificate, respectively.

3. Equality marriage

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

4. Trial marriage

Trial marriage or trimony is that union that occurs between three peopleEither 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 different 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 partner

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

6. Child marriage

It is the one that is carried out when one of the contracting parties is a minorUsually this type of marriage is between a girl and a man older than her. 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 frequent.

7. Arranged marriage

It 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, usually the parents, choose the spouses. The couple have the power to accept or not the union.

8. Marriage by rapture

Also called girlfriend kidnapping, it is a very common practice throughout history, where a man kidnaps or kidnaps a woman to join her against her will.

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

9. Polygamy

It is a rare type of marriage, even though some religions support it, consists of the union of a man with several women, but 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 allowed.

10. Inbreeding

Endogamous marriage is that type of union where the spouses belong to the same family, whether they are cousins ​​or relatives in the second degree. It can also refer to the union between individuals who belong to the same ethnic, religious or lineage group and its purpose is to prevent other individuals from belonging to the group.

11. Forced marriage

Even though it is a type of marriage in which one of the parties (especially the women) are forced (generally by their parents) to marry a man they do not want, this union disrespects human rights and is considered a form of slavery. Today it still exists in many regions of Asia and Africa.

12. White marriage

It is considered a fraud and carries serious legal consequencesIt is a union for convenience in which one or both spouses obtain a benefit, either financial or legal. There is no sexual relationship between them (hence its name) or any type of feelings, in the In most cases, one of the members of the couple receives financial compensation for facilitating the swindle.

13. Levirate marriage

It consists of the compulsory union of a widowed woman who has not had a child, with a brother of the deceased husband in order to generate offspring and perpetuate the family, in many towns today this type of marriage is very frequent. In the event that the man is the one who sends, he marries a sister of his deceased wife and this union is known as a sororal marriage.

14. Marriage in extremis

Also called marriage due to death, it is done when a contracting party is about to die, the law in this case ignores some formalities that under normal circumstances are mandatory.

Each religion has its ideas and protocols that define marriage, in the same way, the laws in each country may vary to give validity to the marriage union.