People primarily get married because of love and the desire for companionship, wanting to share their lives with a partner, while also seeking the commitment and stability that marriage can provide; essentially, to formally recognize and celebrate a loving relationship with another person. 

The largest wedding reception ever was held in Madras, India in 1995, with over 150,000 guests. The wedding was hosted by Jayalalitha Jayaram, a former movie star and chief minister, for her foster son.  The wedding and reception was held on September 7, 1995 on 50 acres of land and cost over 750 million rupees ($23,299,162).  A fortress topped with cannons and winged mythological creatures was constructed from plywood at the entrance of the wedding grounds. The 5 km (3 mile) drive from the temple to the grounds was strewn with rose petals and lined with 600 Grecian columns strung with colored lights along with giant papier mache models of ancient Indian princes in erotic poses.  

The practice of marriage is thought to be around 4,350 years old, with the first recorded marriage taking place in Mesopotamia in 2350 B.C.  Marriages and wedding ceremonies have been conducted across all religions since ancient times up through the current day.