[bregma]

There is a very big difference between a wedding and a marriage. I don't understand why this confuses so many people, but it does.

[occamrazor]

In some languages the same word means both, e.g. the Italian “matrimonio”

[valarauko]

Come to think of it, it seems to be the case in at least some Indian languages (ie, "wedding" & "marriage" are referred to by the same term). I can't think of a distinct native term for "marriage" as an entity or a state of being - the closest I can come up with is akin to "married" as a past tense verb.

[pseudalopex]

English has wedlock.