Back in the day, when it came to relationships, things were pretty simple. You met, got married shortly after and had kids. Today, however, things are much different. Some people have kids before getting married, some get married and don’t have kids, some have kids and don’t ever get married and some just stay together without ever having kids or getting married. You’ll still find the more “traditional couples” who will get married and have kids after. My point is that things are not black and white as they used to be. There’s a lot of grey area now when it comes to relationships. Which brings us to the bigger question: Why is marriage no longer a priority?

why getting married is no longer a priority

There’s a lot of reasons why people no longer see marriage as a priority. The first reason is with the divorce rate being so high, more and more couples are opting out of the whole marriage thing and stick to dating. That way, when things don’t work out, they simply go their separate ways without getting lawyers involved and worrying about hefty legal fees. That’s a smart rational way of looking at things.

Another reason why couples are choosing not to tie the knot is that of today’s generation, they’re all about going against “old fashioned traditions” that were imposed during our parents’ generation. They want to stand out and be different, bold. Which is why they are doing something that would be strongly frowned upon just a few decades ago: having kids before getting married. This was a huge NO-NO back in the day. Having kids outside of wedlock was what they would call a huge scandal. Today, however, it’s become the common norm. A lot of couples are having kids and getting married after or choosing not to get married at all. It’s no longer a requirement or a “must” when it comes to marriage and kids.

Should couples still get married?

It’s obvious that getting married is no longer the top priority for the new generation. Yes, we still see people who follow still follow in the footsteps of the older generation by getting married, but it’s not something that a lot of people still do. While some might argue and say why get married? Why has this need to put a label on our relationship? Why spend a huge amount of money on a wedding just to prove to people that we’re in love and it’s serious? These are all valid points and could be the reason why many people are choosing not to get married.

However, by not getting married, you’re also making it easier to give up on the relationship. You don’t have anything legally linking you to the other person, so when things start going south, there’s nothing stopping you from just packing up and leaving. If you’re married, however, you can’t just pick up and leave. There’s a whole legal process: separation, time apart and then divorce. So like it or not, when there are problems in a relationship, you’ll want to fight that much harder for it. You won’t just say: “The hell with it, I’m done!” No, you’ll fight, seek counseling, compromise and put a real hard effort into it. Divorce will be the last option.

don’t rush into marriage

Just like divorce is the last option when you’re married, getting married should also not be taken lightly. Don’t just get married to get married. Know the person first, take your time, meet each other’s families, talk about the future, make sure you’re on the same page for what you want and don’t rush. Take your time, because once you get married, it should be because you are absolutely one hundred percent sure that they’re the one. You will be spending the rest of your life with them, so don’t rush into marriage. Take all the time you need.

A lot of people today feel like they have to do everything at once so they often make hasty decisions. That’s okay for certain things, but marriage is definitely not a decision that should be taken lightly. It’s something that should be well thought out, so if you’re planning on getting married, make sure you are doing it for all the right reasons and that you’re sure about one another because divorce is the last option.