“Your religion or lack of it has nothing to do with being legally married in America.”
And conversely, failure to obtain a marriage license from the state has nothing to do with marriage in the religious sense. Your church may or may not require you to get the license. It’s up to them. They can perform a religious marriage ceremony with or without it. At their discretion.
The solemnization of marriage that you’re talking about has to do with the state licensing procedure. A judge can perform it, no religious involvement is necessary.
Your information isn’t accurate.
I’m not aware of a state that allows clergy to perform “legal” marriages without a marriage license (or marriage certificate, or formal notice, to be recorded by the govt.) required.
As far as that quote about North Carolina law, it wasn’t about state licensing procedure, it was about the freedom of choosing who could marry you, it did not have to be an Anglican priest, or any religious leader.
“”After the American Revolution, couples could choose a clergyman or a Justice of the Peace to solemnize their marriage. The laws of 1778 provided that, in addition to the Anglican clergy, “all regular ministers of the Gospel of every Denomination,” as well as Justices of the Peace were “empowered to celebrate Matrimony””
BINGO!