Young people are passionate about love and lust, and the old don’t exactly dislike it. Romance is, for the large part, encouraged and enjoyed in the cultures of Orizon. There is, however, a difference between relationships of passion and relationships like marriage. Marriage is considered a contract and love is not a necessary part of that contract.
Marriage, especially among the nobility, is arranged. The concern is more for arranging alliances or business relations than the happiness of those involved. Although compatibility between the future couple is taken into consideration, they rarely have any real say in the matter outside of indicating their preference.
The sexuality of the couple is usually taken into consideration when arranging a marriage, but if an arrangement would be especially profitable even that may be ignored.
Since formal relationships are so strictly controlled, affairs are not looked upon with much disdain, so long as they are handled with courtesy for the situation and discretion for society. There have even been cases of a partner and spouse becoming close friends and acting almost as an extended family.