Why did you choose to get married?

I got married young because I thought this was the greatest love I will ever find, I wanted kids, the house, the cars, the Saturday night dates, Sunday family church day, someone to love for ever and be loved back forever.  I think he was in for it at the start, but sadly, no.  I didn't get any of it.  We divorced and I realized now some very important facts.  In most cases marriage is a connection that legitimizes two people to the world.  Proving to them that this man or this women means more than a one night stand or girl of the month.  Don't get me wrong, if both people feel the marriage commitment strongly, then God bless.  I am saying after a divorce and all the mess around it, finding the man of my dreams after that and not being married is for me a great thing.  I have all the love, respect, caring, compassion - all the SPIRITUAL sides of marriage and (thankfully) none of the legal side that is a big factor in a couple leading to divorce.  It has been 11 years with this man and no marriage, no drama, no prenup, no care of what the world thinks, etc. is a very freeing feeling and the lack of the stress make our union that much better.  I see why Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell, Oprah & Stedman, etc are happily still together.  I still believe in marriage and think it is a good thing.  Just not necessary for me anymore.  :)

I wed, at 35, for the first and only time, because I'd been exclusively dating the same man for 5 years without interest in anyone else. I'd never planned to wed. Being single was totally okay by me. But, after 5 years, my boyfriend gave me an ultimatum and... well.. I didn't WANT him to disappear from my life so I agreed to wed with him and we've been off on our mutual adventure together for 31 years now. I like it a lot. I really wasn't sure I would!

I would only get married to have a regular receptacle to j off into.

I actually didn't feel like we needed marriage to tell each other that we were it for each other. We'd been close friends and pen pals for years before we started dating, and once that turned into a romantic relationship, it was obvious we both felt that way. We got married because it would have been frustrating to live our lives without a title that officially recognized the feelings we had for each other. 

I got married because I was in love and wanted the commitment. I also always wanted children and for me it was important that we were more than just coparents. 

A better question might be why I stay married. Getting married is easy. Staying married is not.

I married young - at 21.  Who knows why I married?  I have no idea.  I think I wanted children, didn't want them to be legal bastards.  We had 2 children, and my husband died weeks after an accident, in his early 30's.

He had a Living Will.  He had a Last Will and Testament.  His MOTHER decided to get involved.  She did NOT want him removed from life support even though he was brain dead and there was no hope.  I, as his legal wife, followed his wishes.

Had we NOT been married he would be a vegetable on life support.

I remarried 4 years later, and one of the reasons was the legal situation.  You have no rights as a partner or live in, and I was concerned about SS when I retire.

To each his own -

To each their own, but in my opinion you don't need marriage to share your life with somebody.