What's The Point In Getting Married Nowadays?

Is marriage a normal course of progression in a relationship?

For some people, this is simply a matter of course. A choice, so to speak, which stems from a long family tradition or comes straight from the tales, films and novels that we have all come across at some time or another. For others, only love prevails and getting married is not important. 

Apart from the financial cost of a wedding, there are plenty of good reasons not to tie the knot: the organization and logistics involved in a wedding can scare off some people, and the contract, the written and solemn commitment that is made, can also be a deterrent. At a time when there is no longer any need for marriage, why should you choose to be wed officially?

Personally, I love organizing events and parties, but every time I get asked why I finally decided to tie the knot, despite being somewhat reticent about the idea beforehand, I always answer the same thing: because I wanted to celebrate love. And it’s true! I no longer had to prove the truth and seriousness of my relationship as we’d been together for 7 years already, but we had both just gone through a difficult period. Suffering at work, harassment, depression, an early midlife crisis in our thirties, etc. 

When I managed to get my head back above water after all that, I thought about him, about us, about our relationship and I told myself that we had remained strong, together, solid, the best support for each other through very dark times and that this love deserved to be celebrated. For me, it was too good an opportunity not to bring together all of our loved ones – and less loved ones, I must admit – in the name of love. With age, distance, the lack of time, it becomes increasingly difficult to gather everyone around you. Even for birthdays or parties, it can be difficult. Only a wedding is capable of such a feat.

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A break and a commitment

When I think back to the time of my wedding, I’m usually nostalgic. I think back to that year of preparation, reflections and questioning, and to that day of excitement, happiness and pride… And I also tell myself that in the course of my life, this period was a break, a moment untouched by time away from the daily routine, during which we thought a lot about ourselves, our relationship, our future plans, and how we wanted to grow together. 

Marriage can be seen as a life step, but for me, it was simply a very nice break before resuming life as a couple that I already cherished before. And what about the commitment? No matter how romantic your soul may be, marriage remains above all a contract, a legal act and a commitment that imposes rights and obligations. Fidelity, help, assistance, life as a couple, contribution to the burdens of marriage, raising children. The list of duties is long and at a time when it seems that people no longer want to make an effort to save their relationship, it’s normal that many people refuse to tick off the marriage box, thinking that they are thus preserving their freedom. The freedom to break up easily without having to go through a divorce, which can take time and money. The freedom not to be a wife but a person in one’s own right. In short, the freedom not to be in a framework that’s too rigid!

Maybe it’s crazy, but I got married because I’m hopeful that we will love each other for the rest of our lives. The number of divorces is increasing, but clearly, I must think that we are stronger than the others!

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What are the 5 reasons for getting married?

1. An act of love

The first reason that pushes couples to unite is, of course, love! Whether it's an impulsive or well-thought-out proposal, this decision is above all the fruit of the complicity that is emerging or has been established between two people who cannot imagine being separated!

2. The affirmation of the couple

Sometimes the decision to get married is a need to affirm the veracity and seriousness of one's relationship, both to others and to oneself. The future bride and groom sometimes feel this need for recognition from their loved ones. They want to give public legitimacy to their relationship. The wedding is an opportunity to show your loved ones that you have made the choice to commit yourself forever.

3. A pretext to reunite your loved ones

One of the most joyful reasons to decide to unite with each other is to celebrate! Or, more exactly, to gather around you all your loved ones. With our busy schedules, the lack of free time, the moves and expatriation of each other, it becomes more and more difficult to be in the company of all your loved ones at the same time. The solution to this problem: the wedding! An invitation that cannot be refused and to which your family and friends will be delighted to say yes!

4. Mark a stage in your life

It is important to be able to interrupt our race ahead, our daily life, from time to time, in order to realize that we are evolving and that we are taking steps forward. Getting married allows us to pass a new milestone. It is often at this time that we realize that we are moving from the life of a child to that of an adult. You start your own home, you take on responsibilities, you make a commitment to someone. Getting married is also accepting to grow up and move on.

5. Starting a family

Although it is not necessary to be married to have children, some couples feel the need to go through this first step before committing to having children together. Marriage provides reassurance and a sense of stability for the couple. It is sometimes a necessary first step to affirm to each other that we want to live this adventure to the end, that we are committed to the long term.

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