Culture, community, economics, and social rank all influenced the marriage process in Bavaria. Poverty and low social standing prevented Leonhard Buttner from marrying his fiancée, Margaretha Weiss. This couple chose to have children out of wedlock as part of a subculture tolerant of bastardy.

The king of Bavaria abolished the traditional right of communities to approve marriages. Instead, he appointed civil judges to review unions. In 1816, Leonhard Büttner applied to the local judge to marry, but the court delayed.

In 1821, Margaretha received her dowry, which was enough to meet the monetary requirements for marriage. Leonhard and Margaretha applied to marry again, but were denied as no community would give Leonhard residency. The local Lutheran pastor persuaded the community to grant him residency and the couple finally married. In the end, a pre-class tradition of hatred of the poor outweighed other factors as most influential in the Bavarian marriage process.