Promises you make as husband and wife vary depending on religion.
The act of marriage is legally referred to as a social union, resulting in the kinship of two individuals. While the promises you make as a husband and wife will vary depending on personal preference and religion, you are entering into a legally binding contract that has contractual obligations you must maintain throughout your wedding.
Mutual Respect and Fidelity
While this promise will not be made explicit during your wedding vows, the majority of legal documents pertaining to marriage will require that both parties in a marriage treat each other with mutual respect and fidelity. Failure to do so, whether through adultery or other forms of disrespect can be appropriate grounds for a divorce. This promise will be set in writing and signed by both parties prior to a ceremony which will announce you as husband and wife.
Spousal Support
While this is a legal promise that traditionally is met by the husband, by law, both spouses are required to support each other in a way that will provide them with the basic necessities for life. Basic necessities include adequate food, clothing and housing as well as other living essentials. If you are in the midst of a divorce, spousal support may be required to be paid retroactively to help your spouse maintain her essential lifestyle.
Property Distribution
A basic promise when entering into a marriage agreement results in the division of property between husband and wife. As a result, any pieces of property that are purchased or inherited during the course of your marriage as well as prior properties that were included in the marriage contract will be divided evenly between both parties. This joint ownership is binding, resulting in a division of properties and assets if a divorce is put in place.
Joint Debts
Joint debts that are brought about while you are married will be split evenly between both parties. Joint debts are automatic in states that adhere to basic community property laws while common law states may have a separate agreement. As a result, it is important to find out what type of law your marriage must adhere to.
