Many pastors claim that it is their duty to authorize marriages suggesting that without them you cannot be married. But what does the Holy Bible say on the issue?

The first man was married without a pastor.

Genesis 2:21-25

21
And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept:
and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22
And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a
woman,
and brought her unto the man.

23
And Adam
said, This
is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be
called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.

24
Therefore shall a
man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave
unto his wife: and they
shall be one flesh.

25
And they were both naked, the
man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Question: Was Adam married? Did Adam need a state license? Did Adam need the authorization of some man?

Genesis 11:29

And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai;
and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of
Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

Was Abraham married or not? Did Abraham need a pastor to authorize his marriage?

Genesis 24:67

And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she
became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s
death.

Was Isaac married? Did Isaac need a pastor to authorize his marriage?

Genesis 25:1

Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

It is plain to see that God recognizes a couple as married when they “cleave unto” each other.

Genesis 2:23-24

23
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she
shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

24
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother,
and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Matthew 19:3-9

3
The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it
lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

4
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that
he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

5
And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and
mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

6
Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What
therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

7
They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a
writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

8
He saith
unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away
your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

9
And
I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication,
and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is
put away doth commit adultery.

Additionally there is no scripture saying that marriage is only marriage when authorized by some pastor. Marriage licenses submits your marriage to the jurisdiction of the state, albeit unconstitutionally. See 5 Reasons Why Christians Should Not Obtain a State Marriage License .

Update: Please do not ask me where to find pastors that will conduct marriages without state involvement.  The pastor does not have the authority to marry people.