Marriage in Chrenada

The culture of Chrenada takes the bonding of life partners seriously, but the exact process of the marriage is less important than the marriage itself.
It is slightly more common for a man to approach a woman in courtship, but it is not so uncommon for a woman to approach a man. There is no formal ritual to begin this phase, only the time-honored awkwardness of trying to read body language, interpret glances or conversational subtext, and so on. Once they have established an understanding, they will be seen together in public, often publicly displaying their affection in appropriate manner such as holding arms or hands or light kissing.
Commoners may arrange their own marriages; some families will assert their status by insisting on a negotiation with the bride's father, but this is often seen as pretentious or backward. In noble houses, however, marriages may be political matters, both sets of parents are much more involved, and matches may be made for alliance or advantage as often as for love. For the royal family, marriage is a duty, not a right or a pleasure, and the match will be arranged entirely for diplomatic or political benefit.
When the couple has decided to marry, they may do so themselves; all that is legally required for a binding marriage is a clear declaration of intent and a clasping of hands. (Accommodations may be made if required, if perhaps one party is mute or has perhaps lost a limb in the war with the Ryuven .) While this marriage is legally and culturally sufficient, many couples (or their families) choose a more celebratory public ceremony, in which the same ritual is performed but with formal witnesses and an audience of friends and family, usually followed by a meal and dancing.
Reports exist of the abuse of this simple marriage arrangement, with, for example, young men allegedly pledging marriage to a woman and then denying it after enjoying her or after she becomes pregnant. Parents, school teachers, and priests warn those approaching young adulthood to be cautious in these vows, as they are binding legally and ethically, and even if one successfully denies his actions or if one swears falsely, he or she will remain a traitor in his soul, and cases may be brought in suit if one party feels there is a compelling argument to confirm or deny the marriage.

Execution

A complete wedding exchange, at its simplest, runs as follows:
"Name, I take you as my lawfully wedded husband." "Name, I take you as my lawfully wedded wife."
The couple clasps hands, or "fasts hands" in traditional language.

Author's note: This Chrenadan marriage ritual is based on our own Earth history. Medieval marriages could be completed and binding purely on the exchange of verbal vows, and there were contemporary warnings against young men who would pledge falsely in private and reject his deflowered bride in public. A marriage had to be formalized before children could inherit, but it was legal and binding even without witnesses, familial negotiations, church oversight, etc. For Chrenada, I have added the mandatory handclasp and the simpler regularization of a clerical registration.