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Marriage or matrimony is a social union between two individuals to create a kinship. It's also a legal contract in a more developed social environment. It is an institution where interpersonal relationships between two persons usually bloom and that is acknowledged by the society. A matrimonial alliance can be formed in a variety of ways and largely depends on the culture where it thrives. This can be an arranged marriage, love marriage, family obligations or to offer legal protection to a child. Such a union of two souls is called matrimony, while the ritual that is organized to commemorate the occasion is generally called a wedding ceremony.

There are several reasons that encourage people to tie a nuptial knot. The foremost reason lies in Aristotle's famous saying, "Man is a social animal." Thus, in marriage two people come together to fulfill each other's social, emotional and spiritual needs.

There are various types of marriages that are practiced across diverse cultures. They may have diverse forms and may require to follow different set of rituals by the marrying individuals. The act of matrimony generally creates legal obligations between the individuals involved. In some cultures, such obligations are also extended to other family members of both the married individuals. There is a fixed term that characterizes a violation of marriage. None of the married couple can walk away from their married life on their own.

Marriage is time and again considered as a legal contract. A civil marriage is a legal contract and governmental institutions formulate marriage laws to be pursued under a given jurisdiction. When the marriage of the two persons is recognized by the state, it changes the personal and social status of both the persons.

A marriage takes place between two individuals. Both the marrying partners can enter into a matrimonial alliance after following the process of courtship or their parents or someone else performs the job of matchmaking. In an arranged marriage, the family members of the marrying couple play the key role and it is done following formal procedures. Nowadays, a professional matchmaker is also engaged to find a suitable matrimonial prospect for an eligible bachelor.