Not quite true.
The formal Christian Wedding vows date from 1552, to which I assume you are refering, but although prior to this Weddings were more informal and a more practical financial agreement between families, although the marriage was a common law or free marriage the actual religious or spiritual ceremony to celebrate afterward in whatever guise predates Rome and Ancient Greece.
Which in no way contradicts what I wrote. I was referring to the Marriage Act of 1754, which was made clergy a legal requirement for marriage in England and Wales. Marriages had to be reported to the church from 1538 so that official records could be kept, but you could still marry without religion.
It has long been normal to add a religious ceremony to marriage.
You were only required to do so in this country for quite a short period of time, quite recently.
That's why I referred to it as optional.