The practice of licensing marriage is ridiculous. It goes back to medieval times, in which vassals were bound to the land, effectively the “furniture” that came with inherited or acquired land. The lord would “license” marriage among these peasants. A free people should not need licenses to marry.
It’s not a license in the sense of permission. Everywhere in America you can shack up all you want.
What it really is is the establishment of certain basic necessary requirements before the whole body of people will legally recognize a union as legitimate.
Requirements which are necessary to protect the whole body of the people, and the children of a union.
That’s hardly oppressive.
With freedom, and the enjoyment of the benefits of living in a larger society, come certain basic obligations.