BBC Newsline

Emmet and Mary McCluskey have been married for nearly 17 years and they have two young boys, aged 6 and 10.

The couple met when they were students at Queen's University, but committing to each other for the rest of their lives was not a decision they took lightly.

If fact, it was another 9 years before they decided that the time was right to tie the knot.

These days, they help other couples who are about to take the plunge, so why is marriage so important to them?

Eamonn McCann and Goretti Horgan

Why not marriage?

Eamonn McCann and his partner Goretti Horgan have been together for more than 25 years, and feel their relationship is stronger because they are not married.

Eamonn says he just doesn't believe in it while Goretti feels that marriage subjugates women.

However, they are concerned that because their relationship is not recognised by law, they don't benefit from some of the rights and protections enjoyed by married couples.

We also asked our viewers' e-panel for their thoughts on the subject. Sarah Travers has been looking at the results.