How is being married different than living together?

For those of you who lived with someone before marrying them, what changed? Did you just feel more committed, and have legal validation?





Please do not respond if you have not lived with someone and then married them. Thank you.How is being married different than living together?
Being married, I really only can say is the most wonderful thing between two people...wakinig up every day to the same person, the knowing, they are there, the comfort in their eyes and their hearts.





I met my husband on May 15, 1969, and we moved in with each other, 2 wks later, on the 3rd week he ask me to marry him, I did not answer him till the 4th week, and it was yes.....





we were married on July 1, 1969, yes 39 years ago, and still in love more today than yesterday..we were meant for each other....





we had our only son when I was 23 yrs old.





all I can say it is different, not because of a piece of paper, or because people say you should get married and not live together, those reasons are not good enough...





it has to be because you want it so bad, you think of nothing else, once you know the time is right.





not saying it works out for everyone, and sometimes you can't make a relationship work no matter how hard both sides try...when this happens, you just hold your head up and move on, and I really and truly belive there is a princess or prince charming out there for you, someone, the one person you will spend the rest of your life with, on the porch in your rocking chairs. but always side by side till the end.





I wish this for everyone, and each and everyone of you deserve all the happiness in the world you can get...yes, I am a die hard romantic......





good luckHow is being married different than living together?
People have a different set of expectations for a husband or wife then they do for a live in boyfriend/girlfriend.





I definitely felt more committed being married. That being said it is definitely a case by case basis for happiness. I think marriage adds more complications and stress then just living together.





Mapping out expectations: financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually should happen before marriage. Having concrete, set expectations could avert a lot of early marital challenges.





Good luck.
I wish that I had lived with my husband longer before I married him. It was only about two weeks. We are divorced after two years. It will be my rule for the next relationship, not to rush into marriage. Once you've been living together, getting married is just another step, I think that you do feel more committed, but I think you'll also feel more informed (if that is the right word) and more comfortable. I think living together for a year before marriage (or engagement rather) would be a good idea.
Living together was something like off the 'How I met your mother show. I felt like I was an adult, but in reality there was really no difference to dating except that we resided at the same place. Marriage proposal was suddenly like Whoa, am I really, really sure I want to live with this guy for the rest of my life and am I am really, really ready for this, lol.





It's my opinion that it doesn't matter if you've lived together for a month, a year, 10 years, marrying does change the dynamics of a relationship, either from your point of view or friends/relatives. Living together, your relationship is taken as serious college students in a lease, if you break up/break lease.....kids stuff, hope you had a security deposit!





I have friends who only married after many years of a solid living together relationship because they were ready for children, some just wanted to commit, others who never bothered to let anyone know when they went from 'living' to married'.





Some are still married w/wo children, some divorced with children, some divorced before they even had them!





I have noticed something, if the person is a 'quitter/bad judgement' in life in general, their relationship/marriage doesn't have a prayer in h*ll.
I thought it would feel the same, but it feels good to actually be married! My hubby and I lived together 3 years before tying the knot. There is just a stronger feeling of love/commitment. I'm not sure how to describe it. We always said ';we'; before, but now we have the same name, same bank account, same everything. Having the ceremony in front of all of our friends/family was a really wonderful expereince. I guess before marriage I would say my number one people in the world had to still be my parents. Now that I'm married, it's my husband and me against the world.
I was just reading online that those who live together before marriage have a higher rate of divorce than those who do not.


I am sorry that I do not fully fit the requirement for a post, but I thought you might like to hear the perspective of someone who lived with someone and also married, but not that same person.


I lived with a fellow before I married the fellow I am still married to now. The first relationship felt uncertain even though we were in love. I beleiv that living with him is what busted our relationship. The act of waiting to ';act married'; until I was married made my current relationship an even stronger one. The female, especially, statistically feels more secure when she is married. This feeling of insecurity can effect her ability to give into the relationship. These are not just stats on paper. These are things I have observed for more than twenty years in both other couples and in my own relationships.
my husband and i lived together for a little over a year before our wedding. to us, it was just a bunch of paper and a couple of rings that were different. since we don't have kids yet, there isn't much regarding life insurances, etc just yet. it does give a sense of commitment more than just living together. i'm glad that we did live together beforehand, even though it doesn't work for everyone, it worked for us. we got to know each other, and what makes us tick.
If he is willing to actually marry you it means he has stopped looking.





If he is willing only to live with you it means he is still looking, but you are good enough for right now. Plus it means he will have built in maid and it means she will get cheaper rent (usually free).





Living together proves nothing. Marriage does.
My guy and I lived together 2 years before we got married, but from the start we were wholly committed to the relationship, the only thing marriage changed was my last name and that I now have insurance.
ive been married for 7 months, living together for over a year. things are pretty much exactly the same, but it feels nice to be married, we feel more of a connection.
It just is. It's annoying I know, but it's a very difficult thing to put into words.
marriage is just a sheet of paper, it is love that coounts
it shows how much u love each other
Living together, the guy can keep his money if they break up.


Married, he is doomed!