Some of the research I have come up with so far is that Marriage has, until recently, been a financial decision. Women would marry due to the need for a stable and financially secure life, or was pressured into marrying someone who would help her family become more powerful, wealthy or climb higher up the social ladder. Now you might say all this was sanctioned in church. Not always! In the video series " Marriage, just a piece of paper" In the medieval times Barons and Lords arranged marriages. Couples were allowed to be married by simply repeating vows to each other. This gave birth to "pillow talk". Many arguments arose about who was actually married. Not surprisingly many women claimed they were married because of an exchange of vows, and consummation of the bond. Many men not surprisingly tried to claim otherwise.