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Covenant Marriage

By Sheri & Bob Stritof, About.com

Definition: A covenant marriage is a form of marriage that makes it more difficult to divorce. In the United States covenant marriages are an option for couples in Arizona, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

Couples in those three states can decide when they apply for a marriage license to have a covenant marriage or they can wait until after they are married to upgrade their marriage to a covenant marriage.

Generally, when a couple decides to have a covenant marriage, they must attend premarital counseling before getting married. If their marriage is in trouble and they want to divorce, they have to seek counseling and wait for a longer period before a divorce is granted.

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