Well, the simple answer is that marriage is the formal consent that lets you have sex. That's what the "I do" part is all about. (No, it's not just a pretty tra

Well, the simple answer is that marriage is the formal consent that lets you have sex. That's what the "I do" part is all about. (No, it's not just a pretty tradition.) Consent was very important in the middle ages, and it's making a huge comeback in the 21st century. (The monetary issues can be settled with standard contracts, but the sex part is what requires a special and distinct form of agreement.)