Religions need few things to be called religions - stories, rituals, and symbols. So do marriages.
Stories
You have important figures like Gods, demigods, heroes, prophets, saints, devotees, and stories around them. All sorts of stories. Some of those stories are believable, others divine. Stories that have been passed from generation to generation even before literacy was invented.
Some tell about the victory of good over evil, some about Herculean struggles, and some about the times when these figures made mistakes. They give life advice, teach philosophy, and teach that the world is not black and white, even the Gods make mistakes.
Some of these stories resonate strongly with people and they choose to follow those Gods more.
Also to note: a religious figure without a story will not be worshipped and be forgotten.
Likewise, in a marriage, you have important figures - you, your partner, and your kids. You have your stories, your partner has theirs, and then you have shared stories with both of you in them. You tell these stories again and again. These stories are from the past, the present and what will become the future. These stories throw some insights and help you understand your partner (and kids). And then, you also want your partner to know your stories.
A marriage without stories is a marriage without partners.
Rituals
Most rituals - prayers, festivals, fasts, offerings, pilgrimage - are ways to connect with God.
Prayers are your communication with God. Festivals are celebrations of God. Fasts and offerings are about making sacrifices. Pilgrimages are about going through difficult circumstances to connect with God.
Likewise, date nights, vacations, kisses before leaving, etc. are the rituals to connect with your loved ones. It is about giving time, attention, and thought to your marriage. It doesn’t always have to be romantic rituals, it could be telling the mundane details of your mundane day to your mundane partner every day before bed.
Symbols
A picture speaks a thousand words. And that is what symbols are. They represent something. A peacock feather would mean Krishna and everything He stands for; a cross would mean the sacrifices made by Christ; a trident would mean Shiva and everything that He means, etc.
Symbols hold meanings. The same goes for symbols in marriages.
When it comes to marriages, actions and words are signifiers. Unlike religious symbols which come from authority, these don’t hence effective communication becomes essential.
Another thing is understanding the love languages of your partner.
