Legal Aspects
For group marriage as a type of marriage, that includes weddings and describing/considering each other as married, spouses, wives/husbands, etc. see Bigamy, Polygamy in North America or Polygamy in Christianity.
"Group marriage" can more informally describe a polyamorous relationship, "… our little group marriage", when no claim to being married is made.
In most countries, it is legal for three or more people to form and share a sexual relationship (subject sometimes to laws against homosexuality). However, no Western countries permit marriage among more than two people. Nor do they give strong and equal legal protection (e.g., of rights relating to children) to non-married partners – the legal regime is not comparable to that applied to married couples. Individuals involved in polyamorous relationships are considered by the law to be no different from people who live together, or "date", under other circumstances.
Read more about this topic: Group Marriage
Famous quotes containing the words legal and/or aspects:
“No oppression is so heavy or lasting as that which is inflicted by the perversion and exorbitance of legal authority.”
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719)
“The happiest two-job marriages I saw during my research were ones in which men and women shared the housework and parenting. What couples called good communication often meant that they were good at saying thanks to one another for small aspects of taking care of the family. Making it to the school play, helping a child read, cooking dinner in good spirit, remembering the grocery list,... these were silver and gold of the marital exchange.”
—Arlie Hochschild (20th century)