What's the point of getting married?

[Gallstones]

Having tried it twice and failed, if I go through that door again I want to make sure it is kept unlocked so I can get out again. Maybe take it off the hinges even.
In other words, no more marriage for me.

[Gallstones]

Oopsie.

See what I mean?

[Bella Fortuna]

Perusing around I found this list of benefits marriage confers that unmarried partners (with the exception probably of registered domestic partners?) would not have in the US:

Whether or not you favor marriage as a social institution, there's no denying that it confers many rights, protections, and benefits -- both legal and practical. Some of these vary from state to state, but the list typically includes:
Tax Benefits

Filing joint income tax returns with the IRS and state taxing authorities.
Creating a "family partnership" under federal tax laws, which allows you to divide business income among family members.

Estate Planning Benefits

Inheriting a share of your spouse's estate.
Receiving an exemption from both estate taxes and gift taxes for all property you give or leave to your spouse.
Creating life estate trusts that are restricted to married couples, including QTIP trusts, QDOT trusts, and marital deduction trusts.
Obtaining priority if a conservator needs to be appointed for your spouse -- that is, someone to make financial and/or medical decisions on your spouse's behalf.

Government Benefits

Receiving Social Security, Medicare, and disability benefits for spouses.
Receiving veterans' and military benefits for spouses, such as those for education, medical care, or special loans.
Receiving public assistance benefits.

Employment Benefits

Obtaining insurance benefits through a spouse's employer.
Taking family leave to care for your spouse during an illness.
Receiving wages, workers' compensation, and retirement plan benefits for a deceased spouse.
Taking bereavement leave if your spouse or one of your spouse's close relatives dies.

Medical Benefits

Visiting your spouse in a hospital intensive care unit or during restricted visiting hours in other parts of a medical facility.
Making medical decisions for your spouse if he or she becomes incapacitated and unable to express wishes for treatment.

Death Benefits

Consenting to after-death examinations and procedures.
Making burial or other final arrangements.

Family Benefits

Filing for stepparent or joint adoption.
Applying for joint foster care rights.
Receiving equitable division of property if you divorce.
Receiving spousal or child support, child custody, and visitation if you divorce.

Housing Benefits

Living in neighborhoods zoned for "families only."
Automatically renewing leases signed by your spouse.

Consumer Benefits

Receiving family rates for health, homeowners', auto, and other types of insurance.
Receiving tuition discounts and permission to use school facilities.
Other consumer discounts and incentives offered only to married couples or families.

Other Legal Benefits and Protections

Suing a third person for wrongful death of your spouse and loss of consortium (loss of intimacy).
Suing a third person for offenses that interfere with the success of your marriage, such as alienation of affection and criminal conversation (these laws are available in only a few states).
Claiming the marital communications privilege, which means a court can't force you to disclose the contents of confidential communications between you and your spouse during your marriage.
Receiving crime victims' recovery benefits if your spouse is the victim of a crime.
Obtaining immigration and residency benefits for noncitizen spouse.
Visiting rights in jails and other places where visitors are restricted to immediate family.

[devogue]

I've thought about if I would ever get married - and if I would, it certainly wouldn't be in any official or traditional way, no need for vows or speeches or rings or signing bits of paper - but just an awesome party in some special place, and time to share with someone I love.

I wrote this as a joke on a friend's facebook, but it's pretty much what I would want, with the right person.

...we will marry atop a mountain, overlooking an ocean, on a starry summer's night, - there will be a feast, and friends, and music, and dancing. But together we will lay back, with the cosmos soaring overhead, nothing between us and the galaxies, as the earth spins beneath us, a hundred million miles of space and stars, just you and me and the universe (and Dev pumping out a turd on the shitter).

[Animavore]

Perusing around I found this list of benefits marriage confers that unmarried partners (with the exception probably of registered domestic partners?) would not have in the US:

Whether or not you favor marriage as a social institution, there's no denying that it confers many rights, protections, and benefits -- both legal and practical. Some of these vary from state to state, but the list typically includes:
Tax Benefits

Filing joint income tax returns with the IRS and state taxing authorities.
Creating a "family partnership" under federal tax laws, which allows you to divide business income among family members.

Estate Planning Benefits

Inheriting a share of your spouse's estate.
Receiving an exemption from both estate taxes and gift taxes for all property you give or leave to your spouse.
Creating life estate trusts that are restricted to married couples, including QTIP trusts, QDOT trusts, and marital deduction trusts.
Obtaining priority if a conservator needs to be appointed for your spouse -- that is, someone to make financial and/or medical decisions on your spouse's behalf.

Government Benefits

Receiving Social Security, Medicare, and disability benefits for spouses.
Receiving veterans' and military benefits for spouses, such as those for education, medical care, or special loans.
Receiving public assistance benefits.

Employment Benefits

Obtaining insurance benefits through a spouse's employer.
Taking family leave to care for your spouse during an illness.
Receiving wages, workers' compensation, and retirement plan benefits for a deceased spouse.
Taking bereavement leave if your spouse or one of your spouse's close relatives dies.

Medical Benefits

Visiting your spouse in a hospital intensive care unit or during restricted visiting hours in other parts of a medical facility.
Making medical decisions for your spouse if he or she becomes incapacitated and unable to express wishes for treatment.

Death Benefits

Consenting to after-death examinations and procedures.
Making burial or other final arrangements.

Family Benefits

Filing for stepparent or joint adoption.
Applying for joint foster care rights.
Receiving equitable division of property if you divorce.
Receiving spousal or child support, child custody, and visitation if you divorce.

Housing Benefits

Living in neighborhoods zoned for "families only."
Automatically renewing leases signed by your spouse.

Consumer Benefits

Receiving family rates for health, homeowners', auto, and other types of insurance.
Receiving tuition discounts and permission to use school facilities.
Other consumer discounts and incentives offered only to married couples or families.

Other Legal Benefits and Protections

Suing a third person for wrongful death of your spouse and loss of consortium (loss of intimacy).
Suing a third person for offenses that interfere with the success of your marriage, such as alienation of affection and criminal conversation (these laws are available in only a few states).
Claiming the marital communications privilege, which means a court can't force you to disclose the contents of confidential communications between you and your spouse during your marriage.
Receiving crime victims' recovery benefits if your spouse is the victim of a crime.
Obtaining immigration and residency benefits for noncitizen spouse.
Visiting rights in jails and other places where visitors are restricted to immediate family.

America needs to get rid of these discriminatory benefit laws based on a misplaced sense of 'traditional family values'.

[Bella Fortuna]

No shit!

[Bella Fortuna]

Much of it boils down, I think, at the most practical level to most people, to getting income tax breaks, access to health insurance, and being able to receive Social Security or inherit from the partner.

[Ayaan]

There were emergency backup photogs.

Who led the charge down the hill to shoot Bambi.

You mustn't forget the frog rescue mission. For a moment I wondered whether we were getting married or hosting a nature photography class.

[Bella Fortuna]

There were emergency backup photogs.

Who led the charge down the hill to shoot Bambi.

You mustn't forget the frog rescue mission. For a moment I wondered whether we were getting married or hosting a nature photography class.

Hey, next time stop letting all those vows n'shit get in the way of getting the perfect shot!

[Gawdzilla Sama]

There were emergency backup photogs.

Who led the charge down the hill to shoot Bambi.

You mustn't forget the frog rescue mission. For a moment I wondered whether we were getting married or hosting a nature photography class.

The wildlife certainly stole the show there. And so did the animals.

[Ayaan]

Much of it boils down, I think, at the most practical level to most people, to getting income tax breaks, access to health insurance, and being able to receive Social Security or inherit from the partner.

Besides love and commitment, there are those practical things - few of which I had really given much thought to until October 31, 2010, when 'Zilla had his stroke. The sentence "I am his wife." was like a magic spell gaining me access to his treatment area in the emergency room, details of his condition, plans for treatment, and his hospital room once they moved him. If he had ever gotten to the point where he could not make his treatment preferences known, that responsibility would have fallen on my shoulders. If we hadn't been married, none of that would have been possible without a huge amount of legal paperwork and mumbo jumbo.

[Ayaan]

There were emergency backup photogs.

Who led the charge down the hill to shoot Bambi.

You mustn't forget the frog rescue mission. For a moment I wondered whether we were getting married or hosting a nature photography class.

Hey, next time stop letting all those vows n'shit get in the way of getting the perfect shot!

I'll make a note of it.

Edit: At least I didn't go Bridezilla on their asses.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Much of it boils down, I think, at the most practical level to most people, to getting income tax breaks, access to health insurance, and being able to receive Social Security or inherit from the partner.

Besides love and commitment, there are those practical things - few of which I had really given much thought to until October 31, 2010, when 'Zilla had his stroke. The sentence "I am his wife." was like a magic spell gaining me access to his treatment area in the emergency room, details of his condition, plans for treatment, and his hospital room once they moved him. If he had ever gotten to the point where he could not make his treatment preferences known, that responsibility would have fallen on my shoulders. If we hadn't been married, none of that would have been possible without a huge amount of legal paperwork and mumbo jumbo.

[Ayaan]

Much of it boils down, I think, at the most practical level to most people, to getting income tax breaks, access to health insurance, and being able to receive Social Security or inherit from the partner.

Besides love and commitment, there are those practical things - few of which I had really given much thought to until October 31, 2010, when 'Zilla had his stroke. The sentence "I am his wife." was like a magic spell gaining me access to his treatment area in the emergency room, details of his condition, plans for treatment, and his hospital room once they moved him. If he had ever gotten to the point where he could not make his treatment preferences known, that responsibility would have fallen on my shoulders. If we hadn't been married, none of that would have been possible without a huge amount of legal paperwork and mumbo jumbo.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

You folks ready for some sparkles?