an icepick through the keyhole

"True spiritual marriage." What does that mean?

Historically speaking, marriage has been about cementing diplomatic relationships, ensuring continuity and certainty of succession, and generally the passing of property.

Ideas of love and romance have been generally peripheral and have come and gone, and as recently as the last couple of hundred years, in America, marriage was seen as a business/economic partnership with some affection involved.

There is no spiritual backing to a civil marriage - that's why it's called a civil marriage. It's a convenient way for the state to keep track of unions so that they can settle disputes as to property and/or benefits. That's why you register at City Hall. That's why you need 2 witnesse - it's a legal requirement. The state doesn't assume spirtuality. How can it if the parties aren't spiritual to begin with?

Both secular and religious marriages have the same purpose - it is a commitment before a higher authority: secular or otherwise. In the days when the Church was the State, and religion not just a choice but a culture, it was the same thing. Now, it's somewhat different, because not everyone shares the same set of religious beliefs or even religion to begin with. It's a practical distinction to recognize both a secular and a multicultural society.

The underlying reasons behind marriage have always been legal. Everything else, really, is just gravy. It makes it feel ood, but it's not really necessary.