Having as a framework the reality of household and family relations in Portugal, this paper focus on the marriage as part and as strategy in the process of reproduction and eventual social mobility, which has been increasingly institutionalized over time and subject to the norms and prescriptions of moral, religious and/or state order. After a brief initial reflection on marriage and its components – emotion and interest –, the motivations and the resources, the importance attached, then domestic power will be subject of analysis based on the data collected. It will be revealed the marriage property regime, the values of the assets by the partners before marriage, the division on decision making, by sex, on certain matters, and money management in the household, the couple’s shared moments, and their initiatives and forms of communication.