What Is The Point Of Marriage? 10 Reasons Why People Tie The Knot

The practice of marriage is an old tradition. It's been around for thousands of years, beginning in Mesopotamia in 2350 B.C. Since then, marriage has evolved and changed, but it's still a choice for many people today. Perhaps it's a choice you and your partner are considering.

There are many reasons people might choose to get reasons. In this article, you will learn about some of those reasons, including some older, more traditional ones that you might not be as familiar with.  Let's get started.

1. It’s the most logical next step in the relationship

Many people are happy being in long-term relationships with no plan to ever get married, whereas others see marriage as a way of cementing their future together. Additionally, some individuals need a sense of progression in their relationship, and often marriage is the next step in that progression. Often, a proposal of marriage comes after the couple has been together for a long time; they may even already live under the same roof. 

2. Financial benefits

Marriage can have some financial benefits. This applies to traditional marriages all around the world. Some people might use marriage to pool resources together, like livestock. In some cultures, financial transactions will occur before or during a marriage, such as in dowries and bride prices, depending on whether the wife or groom will make the “marriage payment.” However, it may not always be wise to make finances the sole point of marriage.

3. Joint insurance coverage

Health insurance is an excellent example of this, and depending on your plan, not only are you and your spouse able to get on the same coverage plan, but this can also extend to your kids as well, if you currently have any or intend on having any in the future. 

4. Legal benefits

Being married offers a few legal benefits that can be situational but handy, nonetheless. For example, if either person in the relationship ends up in the hospital, there is a lot less hassle regarding visitation when the couple is married compared to being unmarried. Marriage also helps sort out how assets will be distributed when either person passes away. Additionally, if you are married and your spouse dies, you can potentially file a wrongful death lawsuit if the circumstances allow it. Another legal benefit to getting married involves gaining lawful residency. For instance, obtaining a green card in the U.S. doesn’t grant citizenship, but it does allow a person to live and work there.

5. Religious reasons

According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, around 30% of couples will marry for religious reasons. A union is not official in certain religious groups until a ceremony is performed. Although many couples will prefer to be of the same faith, it is very common for people who have differing religious beliefs to get married and still honor and commit to the marriage spiritually. Compared to 19% in 1960, around 39% of marriages in 2010 were between spouses of different faiths, and this trend may continue to rise. 

6. They want to have kids

People can, of course, have children together and choose not to marry, but many opt to wait until marriage either for personal beliefs, like religion, or because they think after marriage is the best time to procreate. Just under 50% of marriages cited having kids as their motivation to get married. 

7. Arranged marriages

Arranged marriages, also known as prescriptive marriages, aren’t typical in the West. In other societies, such as India, which has the second-largest population in the world at over 1 billion people, this is still a tradition that continues to pass the test of time. In the cultures that practice arranged marriages, the parents or another head of a household or community will choose a person’s spouse, as it’s believed that younger people are unwise and too inexperienced to make decisions such as these. Although they may not begin the way “love” marriages in the West do, studies show that arranged marriages are durable and often last a lifetime. The spouses who have been joined in an arranged marriage can learn and grow together. 

8. Social expectations

Society can influence people’s decisions to settle down in numerous ways. For instance, you may feel pressure from your family to get married, or perhaps you might start feeling like you are getting too old to find someone and that time is running out for you, especially if there’s a desire to start a family. A person might also notice that their friends are married or planning on it, which can influence a person’s decision to get married, but it shouldn’t be the only reason to marry. Unfortunately, this can also backfire in some cases, and those who feel pressure to get married by others aren’t necessarily doing it for themselves.

9. Remarriage

Unfortunately, not every marriage works out the first time around for various reasons. Some people might call it quits after a divorce; however, plenty of others feel that they can find the right partner for them and give marriage a second chance. In fact, around 40% of all marriages involve someone who has been married once before. More than likely, these individuals feel that being married in itself was not an issue; rather, it was their ex. They feel they can have a better relationship experience with somebody else.

10. Love, commitment, and companionship

While people can have many different motives to get married, studies show that love is the number one reason people do so; it’s become the main reason for marriage. In fact, just under 90% of those who have married state that love is the most important reason for making the decision to marry. Just behind love is having a lifelong commitment and companionship, at 81% and 76%, respectively. For over 60% of marriages, people also cited that having strong mutual interests and satisfying sex life was also very important. Therefore, if you feel strongly about your partner and you have a good feeling that your relationship is made to last, consider getting married.

Explore marriage in depth

As you can see, there are numerous reasons why people can get married, and they don’t necessarily need to involve love; nonetheless, it still currently the most popular reason for doing so.

Not only that, but there can also be multiple motivators happening simultaneously; for instance, love might be the primary one, but they also realize that the financial and insurance benefits are a huge bonus, so it makes sense to get married. Because of this, answering the question of “what’s the point of marriage?” is quite easy for these individuals.

No marriage is perfect, and most couples will have to be proactive about keeping it healthy. They may even ask themselves “what’s the point” when things aren’t going well. However, you don’t have to do this alone. With the help of a marriage counselor, you and a spouse can learn how to communicate and keep each other content effectively. Regain’s licensed and professional therapists specializing in relationships are available online and will work with you and your spouse to develop these skills. Regain is both affordable and convenient. A Regain therapist can work with you individually or with your partner at a time that works for everyone's schedule.

Online therapy has been a great way for people in all types of relationships to work on maintaining communication and finetuning any issues between them. No matter where you're located, online therapy is available anywhere you have the internet, and you'll have access to a therapist you feel comfortable with.

Takeaway

Marriage counseling isn’t just for those who have been married for a while. If you are not married yet or are on the fence about it, a professional can help educate you on things you might expect and give you the skills to handle issues before they become major problems. They might even help you on what you consider the point of marriage in your personal views. 

Getting married is an important step in many people’s lives, and even if you’ve already found your reason to tie the knot with your partner, support from a specialist can help you get your marriage—for whatever reason you're marrying—off to the best start.