Hey Jenna! So glad you asked. You can pass this along to your friend.
In Meadowlark's world, marriage is seen strictly as a contract. It may seem a little unromantic, but it ensures that all parties are protected under the law. There are no religious figures that can receive ordainment to practice under the law, and this all happens at City Hall and specific offices designed to streamline this process. All marriage licenses must be issued in the city of residence, and there is a necessary period of notice that's required for all that are petitioning to be under the court's consideration. There are no fees for the issue of a marriage license, as it's seen as a civil right for all persons to enter into a union. That said: shotgun weddings are out of the question due to the aforementioned period of notice, making it so that two individuals must wait at least a period of two weeks to get their license. Some people can expedite the process, but they'll need some help to grease the wheels on this.
There are many kinds of marriage licenses, but the most common is a fixed term marriage contract. A fixed term marriage contract ensures a union of common property between two (or more, depending) parties for a fixed amount of time, no less than 2 years, but up to 10 years max. After the term period has ended, the couple may return for a contract evaluation and renewal to extend it if they're still happy together. The contract includes clauses on how to split financials and possessions if the marriage doesn't work. If the contract is broken before the fixed term is up, then there it acts as a guide for the proceedings, but can come with a hefty court fee (situation depending). Divorce is a thing of the past, and there is no social stigma around breaking a partnership by either a natural contract end or a premature contract recission. The more affluent the partners, the more complex the contracts can get. Politicians, public figures and others with more to lose generally contract a lawyer to draft their marriage licenses before petitioning the court. Aside from financials and properties, there are other partner rights that come with entering a marriage contract, including: end of life and after death care, marital inheritance, and governmental approval for a child, among many others.
As you might expect of a socially progressive world, these contracts aren't limited to couples. As long as everyone within a partnership agrees to it, these contracts can include multiple people long term, allowing for polyamory. The key thing here is consent and mutual agreement. No one's taking five wives without them all being in agreement. Arranged marriages are a thing of the past, too - though there are political and marriages between people with money, though mostly determined by the people entering that arrangement. No one can get married unless they're considered financially independent and able to consent under the law, which is at 18 years of age.
There are no formal weddings, no ceremonies, no churches, and no vows. All that's needed is a notary (usually supplied by the court) and a witness to the proceedings. Most that receive a marriage contract don't really do large receptions, but smaller parties to celebrate their union if they see fit within their budget. Those who have a lot of money generally hold more extravagant parties, some of which are even streamed live.
There's always more to it, of course, so feel free to ask any follow-up questions!
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In Meadowlark's world, marriage is seen strictly as a contract. It may seem a little unromantic, but it ensures that all parties are protected under the law. There are no religious figures that can receive ordainment to practice under the law, and this all happens at City Hall and specific offices designed to streamline this process. All marriage licenses must be issued in the city of residence, and there is a necessary period of notice that's required for all that are petitioning to be under the court's consideration. There are no fees for the issue of a marriage license, as it's seen as a civil right for all persons to enter into a union. That said: shotgun weddings are out of the question due to the aforementioned period of notice, making it so that two individuals must wait at least a period of two weeks to get their license. Some people can expedite the process, but they'll need some help to grease the wheels on this.
There are many kinds of marriage licenses, but the most common is a fixed term marriage contract. A fixed term marriage contract ensures a union of common property between two (or more, depending) parties for a fixed amount of time, no less than 2 years, but up to 10 years max. After the term period has ended, the couple may return for a contract evaluation and renewal to extend it if they're still happy together. The contract includes clauses on how to split financials and possessions if the marriage doesn't work. If the contract is broken before the fixed term is up, then there it acts as a guide for the proceedings, but can come with a hefty court fee (situation depending). Divorce is a thing of the past, and there is no social stigma around breaking a partnership by either a natural contract end or a premature contract recission. The more affluent the partners, the more complex the contracts can get. Politicians, public figures and others with more to lose generally contract a lawyer to draft their marriage licenses before petitioning the court. Aside from financials and properties, there are other partner rights that come with entering a marriage contract, including: end of life and after death care, marital inheritance, and governmental approval for a child, among many others.
As you might expect of a socially progressive world, these contracts aren't limited to couples. As long as everyone within a partnership agrees to it, these contracts can include multiple people long term, allowing for polyamory. The key thing here is consent and mutual agreement. No one's taking five wives without them all being in agreement. Arranged marriages are a thing of the past, too - though there are political and marriages between people with money, though mostly determined by the people entering that arrangement. No one can get married unless they're considered financially independent and able to consent under the law, which is at 18 years of age.
There are no formal weddings, no ceremonies, no churches, and no vows. All that's needed is a notary (usually supplied by the court) and a witness to the proceedings. Most that receive a marriage contract don't really do large receptions, but smaller parties to celebrate their union if they see fit within their budget. Those who have a lot of money generally hold more extravagant parties, some of which are even streamed live.
There's always more to it, of course, so feel free to ask any follow-up questions!