live as man and wife

He that came away with Captain Weldon gave a very good character to the inhabitants of that island, viz., that they were very honest, civil, harmless people; that they were not addicted to quarrelling, theft, or murder; that they did marry, or at least live as man and wife, one man with one woman, never changing till death made the separation; that they were punctual and honest in performing their bargains; and that they were inclined to receive the Christian religion.

The plot focuses almost entirely on Lewis' relationship with Joy, whom he met and married -- less to live as man and wife than to enable her and her offspring by a prior marriage to stay in Britain -- after a half-century of hearty bachelorhood.

They don't actually live as man and wife.

They were married in the morning, to keep the agreement, but didn't consider it part of the bargain to live as man and wife.

Against the advice of his council, Henry VII. sent the youthful bride and bridegroom to live as man and wife at Ludlow Castle, and there, five and a half months later, their married life came to a sudden end.