Men can often be looked over when it comes to marriage. Men don’t often speak that openly about their feelings, so their thoughts on marriage may go amiss from the generic canon around marriage.
Traditional depictions of marriage may suggest that a man has been forced into marriage through social responsibilities, often resigning the life of a bachelor with some hesitation, but this is not always true.
Many men get married for similar reasons to women, as well as separate reasons.
Marriage is traditionally centered around the bride, but there are two sides to every story – so what does a man think about marriage, and what does it mean to them? We will attempt to provide some answers within this article.
Commitment
The concept that men aren’t loyal, or that commitment isn’t as serious for them as it is for women, can be a wide generalization of man.
Sometimes the ritual of marriage can help a man commit and stay committed, or it can simply show the women that they are committed themselves.
Marriage can be a demonstration of loyalty for men, to show a woman that they are committed to making their relationship work no matter what, and that they are committed to the responsibility that marriage implies.
Moreover, a marriage can demonstrate to a man that a woman is as committed as they are and ease their own worries about loyalty when it comes to their partner.
As emotions can be tough for men, marriage can be an obvious symbol of their love and commitment when they can’t find an emotional way to show this naturally in a relationship.
Family
Family can be really important to men and can manifest in marriage in a couple of different ways.
For some men, they find that the context of marriage is more suitable to raise children within.
The act of marriage can be a sort of unspoken agreement to have children, in certain relationships, and be the natural next step for many couples.
Alternatively, some men may come from broken families themselves, if they never knew their dad, or mom, they may find that making their wife part of their family to be quite important.
This can also mean that being married before having children can also be important to them, perhaps for the environment it creates rather than any moral reasoning.
Moreover, there can often be a lot of pressure on a couple to get married if their families see it as important. Men can often cave easily when someone expects them to do something.
Companionship
Oftentimes, a man can be very attached to a woman and this can cause them to seek marriage as a form of setting their companionship in stone.
Men often use marriage to ‘hold a woman down’, they feel it is necessary to get married and that a woman could leave them if they believe the male is not looking for marriage in the long run.
On a different note, not all men seek polyamory. For many men, they marry a woman simply because they want them to remain companions forever.
For the groom, the bride may be their best friend and marriage can make it stay that way.
Settling Down
One of the many reasons men get married is because they see it as a part of the ritual of ‘settling down’.
Once they have reached the end of their party years they may want to focus on their careers, reduce their partying, and start growing into a father figure.
Many men will get married in order to achieve the status of an ‘adult’, and find that marriage is a natural part of aging and settling into a calmer life that is family-orientated than ego-orientated.
Tradition
As much as tradition can pressure a man into a marriage, they may also find tradition to be a pertinent reason for their marriage.
Many men may have their own religious beliefs that compel them to get married, while others may just see it as the traditional thing.
If a man has been in a relationship for a long time they may fear that others may wonder why they aren’t married.
Sometimes not being married may signal that there is something wrong with the relationship and they may worry how others perceive this even if this isn’t true.
For men, marriage can sometimes just be a symbol that their relationship is something they see as forever, and displays that to the whole world, as well as their families, and not just between the couple.
Monetary Reasons
We hate to say it, but there are many legal and monetary reasons that may push a man, or anyone, to get married. In the US there are over 1,000 federal benefits to be gained for being married.
This can really be a deciding factor when it comes to having children, support from the state.
Moreover, marriage can also guarantee financial safety for the other party involved, whether male or female.
This can be something a man might consider when marrying, that their partner will have a chunk of their wealth so to speak, especially in the event of death.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, men can often want to be married for similar reasons to women.
Often, they do worry about their external image, and sometimes marriage can be a symbol of their dedication, commitment, love, and companionship that is present not only to the couple but also to those around them.
For a man, this external validation can be useful for them and help them feel settled in a relationship.
Marriage might just feel like a natural step to them, to show a woman they want to spend their life with them, or just to mark their love for each other with a day of celebration.
There are many reasons why someone might get married, this can be affected by cultural factors, social responsibilities as well as the background the groom came from.
Marriage isn’t for everyone, some find it simply necessary, and for others it is completely natural and spiritual.
