Why marriage is important to me.. and should be important to you too.
With 2020 changing everything about our traditional weddings like how many people can attend, how many can sit at each table, acceptable floor plans, what kind of meal and bar service is available, if there can be music and dancing or not, and even going as far as restricting and banning traditional receptions all together. Many couples were left wondering….then WHY even get married?
Yup, this was my motivation for writing this blog. 90% of my couples decided to postpone or cancel their weddings, leading me to the question, “Is the wedding celebration more important than the vows? What are the benefits of marriage? Is marriage more than signing a piece of paper?”
I did some deep soul searching about my beliefs. I’ve been married since 2001 and have always felt a profoundly deep love for marriage and family. It was never a question of whether I wanted to marry; I knew I did.
For me, there was something divinely special about creating a family unit. It was like the vows forged us together and created something new and wonderful…”US”. I think this is why I was so drawn to the industry of wedding and event design and planning. I knew I wanted to be an instrumental part of helping couples celebrate their decision to marry—the conscious celebrated decision to become an “US”. But still, there have to be some proven facts or evidence of marriage that aren’t based on feelings or beliefs. You know, actual data. So, I went to google and started searching.
I was excited to see that there are tons of articles based on the benefits of marriage. Surprisingly most of them are financial-based benefits, and who doesn’t like money, right?!? But I want to focus on other benefits. The benefits of marriage to a relationship and each person’s well-being compared to couples who choose to cohabitate instead of marry. I was pleasantly surprised at my findings.
LIVE LONGER
Research consistently shows that couples in a committed marriage even live longer than those who are single, cohabiting or divorced.
WEALTHIER
Married people not only make more money, but they manage money better and build more wealth together than either would alone.
HAPPIER
Overall, 40% of married people, compared with about a 25% of singles or cohabitors, say they are “very happy” with life in general.
EMOTIONALLY STABLE
Marriage is good for your mental health. Married men and women are less depressed, less anxious, and less psychologically distressed than single, divorced, or widowed Americans.
LASTING LOVE
Just 10% of cohabiting couples are still cohabiting after five years. By contrast, 80% of married couples are still married five years later, and close to 60% will marry for life.
For me, this is some pretty convincing data that a healthy marriage builds a stronger relationship and increases both partners’ well-being. When the goal is to be in a committed relationship forever, it’s clear that getting married is an essential step. “Why marriage is Good for you: The data are clear: you’ll live longer, stay saner, get richer, and be happier.” and “13 Legal Benefits of Marriage.” also mentioned other significant benefits of marriage; the tax benefits, sexual benefits and benefits to your children and grandchildren. So, as you can see, getting married is so much more than signing a piece of paper. It’s the only way to officially make you an “US”.
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Sources Cited
Gallagher, Maggie. “Why marriage is Good for you: The data are clear: you’ll live longer, stay saner, get richer, and be happier.” City Journal, Autumn 2000.
https://www.city-journal.org/html/why-marriage-good-you-12002.html
Jacobson, Ivy. “13 Legal Benefits of Marriage.” The knot, July 13, 2020.
https://www.theknot.com/content/benefits-of-marriage