“A republic of free citizens has an interest in the formation of permanent family bonds.”
A republic of free citizens has an interest in associating as they choose. They do NOT have the right to compel anyone else to associate with them, or to recognize their own chosen associations.
I’m not so sure official government sanction of marriage is in the best interest of those who value marriage. Because with that sanction comes definition. And government has no business defining marriage.
Unless you want every conceivable coupling elevated to “official marriage”.
Yes, the devil is in the details. Nonetheless, I affirm the philosophical point.