The court isn’t so much looking at the words of your vows as it is looking at the paperwork and the officiant who signs it. The vows are the heart of the ceremony, the promises you make to each other, but the legal part is the marriage license you file and the state’s requirements that the ceremony be performed by someone authorized. So the vows themselves aren’t a contract you can sue over; they’re a beautiful declaration that becomes part of a legally recognized union when the license is filed and the officiant’s signature is on the certificate. In short, love is what you feel, and the law is what makes it official.

Absolutely, the paperwork keeps the legal part tidy, but the magic of those vows still stays in our hearts no matter what the court says. Love is forever, even if the paperwork is just a formality.