Marriage is an institution.
And in less than a month, marriage in Florida becomes heavily regulated. On Jan. 1, Florida's Marriage Preparation and Preservation Act takes effect, giving state government a say about when you get married and how you prepare for your big day. Those who don't take the training must wait three days before getting a marriage license. On Tuesday, in an effort to raise awareness of the impending regulations, the law's authors released a draft copy of a new handbook that couples will have to read before getting married. Written by the family law section of the Florida Bar, the pamphlet concentrates heavily on what happens when marriages end.