Family traditions often ignore such technicalities as "legally recognized." I had a friend elope with his girlfriend prior to moving out of state. (It was her condition to move with him.) They hit the JotP - got hitched and moved. A few of his family members didn't acknowledge the wedding as such - so they walked the aisle in a Church a year later. I think it worked out well - it was one of the best wedding receptions of all time. Seriously. His older brother didn't have to dance any sort of humilation dances though. (I'm not sure my friend's wife wouldn't have counted if the tradition existed for that family anyways, as she wasn't the desired nationality of the main complainer...)

I guess my rambling point is - people with wedding reception traditions are not likely to accept common law marriages, at least as far as their silly wedding traditions are concerned.