The reasons that resonate with me.

You don’t need to be married to:

  • be in a loving, long-term relationship
  • conceive and raise children
  • share assets with your partner
  • live together
  • be recognized as a couple by friends and family
  • make medical and financial decisions for your partner
  • pass on inheritance
  • co-sign loans or mortgages

Marriage makes some of these easier, sure. But none of them require it. You don’t even need a relationship to live a fulfilling life.

So why would I want to get married?

The world feels uncertain. Career. Finances. Politics. Climate. Culture.

Marriage is an anchor. If you love someone and they love you back, and you’re both committed, marriage says: amidst all this chaos, here is one thing that’s settled.

I imagine that would feel good.

Maybe marriage is useful. Maybe it’s practical. But that’s not why I’d want it. It’s not about what marriage does—it’s about what I imagine it would feel like. Comfort. Joy. One less thing to figure out in a world that poses plenty to figure out.

Then there’s the ceremony itself.

Just like funerals are for the living, weddings are for your people. They’re a way to say: look what we’re making together. You’re not just two individuals anymore. You’re forming something new—as a family, as a community. And the ceremony is a chance to thank everyone who helped you get here.

For me, these are the reasons that resonate.