I agree. My hubby and I are "married" in game but never use our rings because we'd lose a slot for a set. I would love for it to be confirmed as passive (like if people have the ring in their inventory) or to be made such. We could dig our rings out of the bank and enjoy our sweet exp boost when we game together if this we true or made so!
Let me just ask this.. If two people get married en give each other a ring IRL, then after the ceremony they go home (after the honeymoon).
Now we are a week further and they take of their rings (no reason), are they not married at that moment? Is marriage like a light switch? ring on/off is marriage on/off?
It's just weird that you have to equip a ring in order to get the marriage benefit. The ceremony at mara's shrine should be enough to let 2 people get married, then when they are grouped and together (let's say 100meters) they get the 10% exp boost.
But then again.. there are A LOT of things they designed 9 years ago that are very stupid decisions. With the biggest one being the guild stores but that for another time and another topic.