Even though times have changed, and living together is socially acceptable, people still choose to get married. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t, if it’s what they really want. However, choosing to be in an unmarried relationship is equally valid. Here are 8 reasons to stay happily unmarried.
Unless you have particularly strong religious feelings (which I don’t), an unmarried relationship is just as valid morally as a marriage. How can anyone say that your relationship is not serious because you haven’t been through a legal ceremony?
The best (and maybe only) reason for getting married is that you really want to be married. Not everybody does. For some people, it really doesn’t mean anything beyond being ‘a piece of paper’.
Obviously married couples have more legal rights than unmarried couples, but this need not be a problem. An unmarried couple can sort out issues concerning children, inheritance rights etc. with a trip to a lawyer.
Given that the divorce rate is so high, being married is no guarantee that the relationship is any more likely to last. Some unmarried couples have been happily together for much longer than a lot of married couples, so clearly it works for them.
The cost of some weddings can get frighteningly high. Personally, I’d rather spend the money on a deposit for a house! Of course, you can have a small, budget ceremony if you really want to be married, but if you don’t, then you might as well save that money as well!
How many people live together for years, get married and then split up soon after? It’s not easy to say why, but maybe marriage has changed something. So if the relationship is perfectly happy, why make it ‘legal’?
That is, it’s not relevant to everyone. I’ve nothing against the idea per se, but marriage as an institution doesn’t really mean much to me. I consider that commitment is emotional, not legal.
Outside pressure to get married should always be ignored. It’s for a couple to decide, and no-one else, whether they want to make their relationship ‘official’, or if they’re happy as they are. Being pushed into marriage isn’t going to help the chances of it lasting.
What’s your opinion on marriage – do you think everyone should, does it depend on the couple, or would you never tie the knot
Top Photo Credit: www.AllisonNewbold.com