Planning on marriage?

What is marriage to you all anyway? A state of closeness, or just a way of being sure to keep your parner as you have it all written down on paper? I'd never EVER marry anyone for the purpose of making them stay with me and not cheat on me with everyone else. I'd boot a girl like that out ever so quickly. Personally, I've just never seen a need to marry anyone if there's enough trust involved in the first place.

It is romantic, and if you are with a woman for 10 years and you arent married and have kids and are like... this is my girlfriend and our 6year old son, its weird. People are pushed into getting married, and I am fine with it

I don't get it.

Reread the thread, someone else already pointed it out.

No, what I mean is that if you know that given say five years time, you could provide a better siuation, then you would wait those five years.

I never thought marriage was a "fair-weather" kind of commitment.

When the vows say "For better or for worse, in sickness or in health, till death do us part...", it's kind of meant literally.

I wouldn't impose it on a wife intentionally, but if she would want to get married when we're not in the best of situations, who am I to argue? "No, we can't. We're not financially secure yet."

Still sounds like confusing money with happiness again.

Of course I want to get married, and no, I don't think that any outside forces are making people do it either. It is a bond between two people, a never ending love that is signified through a title, just like "girlfriend". In my opinion, saying, "This is my wife," is a lot more serious thing to say than, "This is my girlfriend."

Some people don't believe in it, and good for them, but truth is, marriage is more than a trust and respect issue.

I don't think financial situations should effect whether or not to get married. If you are going to be more financially secure in 5 years, why not get to that point together?