We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community who don't want to walk down the aisle to share their reasons why. Here's what they said and, honestly, it's very eye-opening:
1. "It's outdated and discriminatory against nonmarried couples when it comes to legal rights."
2. "I’m not sure if monogamy is a realistic concept for everyone."
3. "The idea that a piece of paper is supposed to implore someone to be faithful to me seems laughable to me."
"I like knowing that the person I’m with chooses me instead of trying to make it work because we’re married. I don’t feel less connected to my boyfriend; I actually appreciate that we both respect our relationship enough to work without being obligated. There's something so romantic about the thought that either of you could freely pick up and leave at any time, but would rather not."
4. "A lot of marriages end in divorce."
"Those things are expensive, too. I’d rather just move in with a boyfriend. It’s easier to just break up without involving lawyers. Marriage is basically just a formality."
5. "I’m afraid my student loan monthly payments will go up because of a combined income to a point we couldn’t afford."
6. "I like being alone, I like my house filled with my things, and I like the freedom of being able to do whatever I want whenever I want. Why on earth would I ever give this up?"
7. "I enjoy only worrying about myself and giving time to my family and friends."
"Marriage isn't necessary if you have a good support system."
8. "I'm just that introverted."
"Theoretically, falling in love and sharing a life with someone sounds great, but the actual reality of it and the effort involved feels completely not worth it to me."
9. "I will probably never be able to afford the kind of wedding I want."
10. "I'm disabled and would lose my health insurance. We wouldn't be able to afford my upkeep."
"There may come a time when we'd be able to afford the cost of insurance premiums, copays, and the bits I already have to pay out of pocket. Until that day comes, we'll hang in there."
11. "I already got divorced once, and I honestly don't think I'll ever trust another person to get married again."
12. "I've never seen the appeal of weddings."
"I love the idea of looking pretty and being the center of attention for a day, but if that's the only reason you want to have a wedding, it's a huge yikes. You can just easily throw a massive party with the same result."
13. "We're already committed and inextricably linked."
"We just can't be bothered to get married. We've been together 11 years, and we have a mortgage and a child together. It seems like a wedding now would just be a bit weird."
14. "It scares the crap out of me that BOTH people would have to agree to a divorce! That's how people end up tied to their abusers."
15. "There isn't a person who can give me what I want in a relationship."
"I can pick up a deal breaker with every couple I encounter. I'm probably too inflexible, judgmental, and selfish. I'm not like that with my close family and friends, but I can't get that far with another person."
16. "I am asexual, meaning that I don't really experience romantic or sexual attraction."
"Every ace person is different; some are aromantic or demiromantic, for example, but for me I rarely experience attraction that could lead to a relationship, and I'm more comfortable on my own."
—Ray
17. And finally, "It's just an expensive piece of paper that bets someone half your stuff that you won't break up."
What are your reasons for not getting married, if you have them? Let us know in the comments!
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.