and have cut and pasted this bit of info from wiki
Marriage is an institution in which interpersonal relationships (usually intimate and sexual) are sanctioned with governmental, social, or religious recognition. It is often created by a contract or through civil processes. Civil marriage is the legal concept of marriage as a governmental institution, in accordance with marriage laws of the land. If recognized by the State, by the religion(s) to which the parties belong and/or by society in general, the act of marriage changes the personal status of the individuals in the eyes of those authorities that recognize it.
For the full here is the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage
Basically to sum it up a civil union is a state of marriage , it is just not that of a particular religion. so to say that a gay couple who have been through a civil union are actually married is not falsehood. In Australia and I am sure, but correct me if I am wrong, In America, Canada and the U.K. you still need to sign a marriage certificate, This crtificate is not issued by the church, it is issued by the government, hence the reason why most weddings, unions whatever you want to call them end in "by the power invested in me by the (fill in the state and country) I now pronounce you Man and Wife or Man and Man or wife and wife depending. It may also intrest you to know, that in these countries you have to be certified by the state you wish to preform wedding ceremonies in before officiating over a ceremony this includes all with no exeption to preists. If you do not sign the marriage certificate or the religous preist that presides over your wedding is not sanctioned then your marriage is void.(in other words you are not legally married.)
and have cut and pasted this bit of info from wiki
Marriage is an institution in which interpersonal relationships (usually intimate and sexual) are sanctioned with governmental, social, or religious recognition. It is often created by a contract or through civil processes. Civil marriage is the legal concept of marriage as a governmental institution, in accordance with marriage laws of the land. If recognized by the State, by the religion(s) to which the parties belong and/or by society in general, the act of marriage changes the personal status of the individuals in the eyes of those authorities that recognize it.
For the full here is the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage
Basically to sum it up a civil union is a state of marriage , it is just not that of a particular religion. so to say that a gay couple who have been through a civil union are actually married is not falsehood. In Australia and I am sure, but correct me if I am wrong, In America, Canada and the U.K. you still need to sign a marriage certificate, This crtificate is not issued by the church, it is issued by the government, hence the reason why most weddings, unions whatever you want to call them end in "by the power invested in me by the (fill in the state and country) I now pronounce you Man and Wife or Man and Man or wife and wife depending. It may also intrest you to know, that in these countries you have to be certified by the state you wish to preform wedding ceremonies in before officiating over a ceremony this includes all with no exeption to preists. If you do not sign the marriage certificate or the religous preist that presides over your wedding is not sanctioned then your marriage is void.(in other words you are not legally married.)