[discostu]

Eventually you need to come to the realization that religious holy matrimony and legal marriage are two different things that only really relate to each other because many people use the ceremony of one to enter into the other. But you don’t have to. You can file for a legal marriage without a religious ceremony and you can have a religious ceremony without any paper work.

So if you want to have the religious ceremony and not enter into the legal definition you don’t have to. I know people who’ve done it, in neopagan circles (especially in the SCA parts) there’s an event called a handfasting, it’s a declaration of your relationship that doesn’t really apply to the outside world because almost nobody couples the handfasting with a marriage license. Within the circle they are handfasted and everybody recognizes and respects that as they would a marriage. Outside the circle they’re just 2 people. There’s no reason other religions can’t go on the same path. Have your ceremony, be recognized within your circle, don’t bother with the license.

[ansel12]

Here are the wives of Warren Jeffs, he believes only in religious ceremonies and doesn't use marriage licenses, or seek recognition from the state.

Here is one man's, church marriage(s).

[Yardstick]

I totally get the distinction. I’m just saying let’s hustle a little bit and try to outfox leviathan for a change.