Marriage Confusion - or something kind of like it

As I set and watch my news this morning, I am moderately surprised to see that West Virginia, my neighboring state (with more air time than sense), has decided to have their state supreme court (supreme being a relative term) define marriage. Of course that definition would be that marriage exists between a man and a woman.
What the Hell? Are you kidding me? Are you homo-hating conservs really that threatened that you have to define marriage? Yes, I know other states have done it. But if Alabama jumped off a bridge, would you? Don't answer that.
Now before I go any further let me say that I consider West Virginia one of the most beautiful states in the country. The natural beauty cannot be matched. Unfortunately that beauty does not extend to its people. The problem with West Virginia is that it's filled with West Virginians.
Back to the point at hand. Why do we have to be married at all? One local attorney in my hometown recently ran an add in our paper that he would personally pay for the wedding of any couple in the community that had been co-habitating for a certain amount of time. WTF? Why this sudden need to have all the heteros happily married off?
I don't think that any of us need to be "married" at all. I think the laws should be changed so that any couple (no matter their sexual affiliation) should be able to go to the courthouse and obtain a civil union, or partnership, or whateverthehell you want to call it. It should be treated like the business partnership that it in fact is. Then if you want to have a wedding, then that is a private thing for you to deal with with your spiritual leader, or not. To share with your family and friends, or not.
I just don't get why it has to be so damn hard. If I want to take my dog down to the courthouse and enter into a partnership with him, I should be allowed to. Now if we later decide to make vows in front of our closest friends and family where I vow to keep his food bowl always full and he vows to not lick his balls on my good rug - well then that's between me and my dog. As it should be.