In the word of Beyoncé : 🎶 If you like it then you should ’ve put a tintinnabulation on it 🎶
I recently tied the knot and often have people ask me if it feels any different finally being married. While saying “I do” is not for every couple, there are many who want their S.O. to put a ring on it and make things “official” over just dating ‘til the end of time.
Reddit usershmarcussssasked, “What’s the benefit of being married over just being together forever?” Here’s what people had to say:
1.“I think it’s a sign of commitment. Even the most stable relationships will start to question why they haven’t taken the next step if it goes too long without a proposal.”
2.“Legal rights. The classic tragedy is for a couple to spend their lives together unmarried, which works fine until one of them dies and their family steps in as the legal next of kin and leaves the surviving partner destitute.”
— atomic number 92 / avast2006
3.“Anything where you potentially have to step into a courtroom. Divorce, will, insurance, taxes, etc. If you are one entity you want the legal system to treat you as such.”
4.“I find it comforting that we’re married. It’s the commitment that I made and the feeling that she committed to me. It just feels so secure. I know we could get divorced but it just feels more permanent and stable now that we’re married.”
— u / discreet1
5.“That ring on your finger is a big deal and you don’t realize just how much it means until you have it. We are each other’s family, not just partners. It means he is dependable and I’m his come hell or high water. It’s not just about the will, hospital rights, or tax. It’s damn near everything. At least that’s how it is for me.”
6.“Divorce. Not joking. If you do split, having a legal system to divide assets and assure support is super important.”
— uranium / sdvneuro
7.“It made my wife happy to be married as opposed to just together forever.”
8.“You don’t have to be added as a second driver when renting a car! That’s a surprise perk I found.”
— u / SpecificLife8988
9.“The commitment and love we share, whether we are married or not, is what truly matters. Marriage can provide legal advantages and social acknowledgment.”
10.“Residency or citizenship if your flame is from another country.”
— u / TenNinetythree
11.“In all seriousness though, saying ‘my girlfriend’ or ‘my boyfriend’ really doesn’t hold the same weight!”
12.“We lived together for 25+ years and decided to get married for legal reasons. When you get older you have to think about afterlife decisions.”
— uranium / gumyrocks22
13.“The right to make medical decisions for them if they can’t”
14.“I can visit your ass in the hospital when you fall off the ladder after I told you not to go up there.”
— atomic number 92 / Fabulous_Tadpole_774
15.“You get to call someone your spouse and have an excuse for a big party every anniversary.”
16.“If you come from a troublesome family, being legally married will prevent them from meddling when it comes to property ownership and medical care.”
— u / blackmobius
17.“Being married adds a little glue to the relationship.”
18.“Your family won’t be constantly asking when you’re getting married.”
— u / Blastwave_Enthusiast
19.And finally, “Marriage is an announcement to the world that you are committed to this person. Our self-focused culture has radically abandoned responsibility, commitment, and fidelity. A mature person makes commitments and keeps them; not because it feels good to keep them, but because they have integrity and take responsibility beyond themselves. If you’ve committed and meant it, you should WANT to announce that commitment. It keeps you accountable to be a person of integrity; it assures those you have committed to that you mean it.”
Note : Some responses have been edit for length and/or pellucidity .
