[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

A simple binding legal contract could accomplish that, and skip the state “marriage” all together.

A contract has to rest on some kind of law or precedent, and when the legislation is written, it will end up being marriage in essence, if not in name.

[babygene]

“A contract has to rest on some kind of law or precedent”

Where in the world did you get that idea?

It absolutely does not. A contract is just an agreement between two or more parties. Actually it doesn’t even have to be written, it can be verbal.