When I think about it, if a civil marriage simply consisted in going to some clerk’s office, maybe more people would be married in a church just for the ceremony. Of course, a civil marriage isn’t as ceremonious as a religious one (though actually, the only difference is that there’s a mass before and often music of your liking), but at least you’ve your guests, cheers, pictures, etc… More moving and inspiring than signing a form in an office, I would assume.
And while I’m at it, besides the fact it doesn’t give them all the rights maried people are granted, that’s one of the issues homosexuals have with civil unions in France : these consist in signing some form in some clerk’s office. They want to exchange rings in the city hall too…