Why do people get married?

Question

What is there to gain from marriage that isn't there before you're wed? If it's commitment, then why're you so serious in the first place if you/your partner can't commit without making it official?

oops... I starred my own question.

What's wrong with staying together "forever" without getting married? Without making it legal? And you can always write a will instead of marrying just to ensure financial security if your partner should die.

Answer 1

Personally I would have liked to get married only in a personal way, without legal marriage. Because I do not like the government.

However, in the US it takes a lot of time and money to arrange to have most of the same legal protections that a marriage license gives you for way cheaper! Putting your partner in your will is not enough, it is only one small part of the huge collection of rights and protections a marriage license gives you. In some states there is actually NO way to get a lot of those rights legally without being legally married.

What if one of the people in the partnership wants to move to another country? If they were legally married the new country could respect their relationship and allow both to come on the merits of just one, but without a legal marriage it is much harder.

In the USA spouses cannot be legally required to testify against each other, but if they are not legally married, then they can.

Face it, it is better for the government to know who is a family, so the government can treat them as a family. If you don't register your marriage the government and even your workplace can easily walk all over you.

Answer 2

Marriage was a way to tell myself, my partner and the rest of the world that I've committed to one person for the rest of my life. It's a serious commitment. We don't take it lightly.

I can't say why it would be better than just being in a commitment. I know a couple that's been together for more than 10 years without being married. It's just something that we both wanted, and it works for us. Maybe marriage is just the way society recognizes commitment right now. And maybe that's starting to change.

It's not for everybody, so if you don't want to get married, don't do it. But it's been good for both of us for almost two years. We're happy with it. Neither of us feels trapped or regretful.

Answer 3

I personally have never, ever believed in marriage. I never understood it and never will. All that's different is a ring, a wedding, and lawyers and legalities. Not for me. I will commit my life to someone without a third party or a ring or wedding. Don't need it, don't want it, don't care for it. I honestly think people, esp. women, think marriage is like this fairy tale, with a wedding to begin it. Well guess what? Marriage is just a committed relationship with a diamond ring. It's pointless. So yeah, that's how I really feel.

Answer 4

no there are many reasons for marriage.. mostly legal and not always having to do with commitment or anything in particular..I mean what if you and a spouse had acumulated many things together and there was no paper that said hey im married to them and they died leaving no will or family .. what would happen and then when you travel with a spouse that is from another country yet you dont have a marriage license yet traveling under different names and claiming to be married well there is some subjective doubt in peoples minds.. sweetie there are many different reasons than that of commitment that make life easier although to you it makes no difference to some countries and laws it makes all the difference and some familes to frown on their sons and daughters shacking up

Answer 5

You can't really answer this without being married. Commitment is one thing but it's just a feeling. A sense of security. Of course it's just a legal thing...on paper but the sense of being official is amazing. It's just too difficult to explain in words.

Answer 6

A marriage is a legal bond. A wedding is also a public announcement of your commitment. My husband and I, because of our faith, also saw it as a deeply personal, spiritual bonding.

I think that the recent marriage debates have gone to show that people have vastly different ideas of what marriage should be, so don't expect to get one single answer from everyone.

Answer 7

Getting married is not just about committment... its about joining as 1. When you decide to marry someone, you're going to love them unconditionally, be by there side forever, and support them when they need it! Of course you can have strong feelings for your boyfriend/girlfriend but it makes the "bond" much stronger when you wed! Its really different... maybe you'll understand better, once you find someone you want to become closer with!

Answer 8

People will always get married for personal reasons. I don't believe in love but I would only get married for the good sex. Marriage is just a business anyhow,and business partners get bored and sneaky. They say fools get married but it must be something really good about that other person because that is the only way I would get married. Nowadays ,people get married for stupid reasons like :I don't want people to think I am gay, or I am getting married because I don't want to be alone.

Answer 9

I am married and have been married 4 times so i feel safe to tell you smart people should never marry everything changes when you get married so if you have a partner and are happy without that next step then dont take it it will probably screw your life up!!!!!!!!!!!!I am an IDIOT

Answer 10

It's saying that you want to spend the rest of your life together. Marriage ~~ to me is more than a legal agreement. It's the ultimate bond two people can make.