Marriage is traditionally seen as a union between a man and a woman. Registered partnerships, on the other hand, are specifically for same-sex couples. They usually have limited adoption rights. They can adopt a partner's biological child, but not a child together. however, adoption laws for registered partnerships may vary from canton to canton. there are also some ceremonial differences.

The legal procedures for dissolving a marriage and a registered partnership are also different. The dissolution of a registered partnership is similar to divorce but is known as "partnership dissolution."
Registered partnership still carry some social stigma in certain communities, while marriage is widely accepted.