Marriage in the bimonarchy of Woking is a civil contract blah blah blah.
Woking
Marriage as official status
- Civil contract
- Standard marriage contract defines rights for both parties (equal except with respect to children)
- Between two adult parties
- Minimum age of marriage = 14, but encouraged minimum age of marriage = 15
- Important note: age of permission to nookie = 15
- Permission of state not usually needed
- Main exceptions are nobility during wartime and wards of state
- Permission of parents is almost always sought out of social convention, is required if either partner is aged 14-15
- Nobility name the heir for their title unless this right is revoked (ie by monarch as a punishment)
Children
- Often done so man can claim fatherhood of children (otherwise they're the woman's)
- People name their own heirs (but if they have children and no will it is assumed that the children inherit)
Same-sex marriage
- Is done
- Although child law and inheritance will apply less or differently
Wedding
- Is more of a 'marriage party'
- A celebration loosely associated with the actual occasion of formalising the contract
- i.e. may happen a few days before or after
- Because contract itself isn't all that exciting
- Can be anything from a low-key family gathering to a loud, cider-soused week
- Very many customs and superstitions depending on locality
Infidelity
- Considered a matter for the couple to handle among themselves
- Consequences may be specified in the marriage contract
Divorce
- Marriage is civil contract, can be broken
Surnames
- By convention, generally keep name of richer or higher-status partner
Linguistics
According to
Suitov Iceheart, the Wokung words for "husband" and "wife" are from the same linguistic root.