I’ve been married for over a decade. I think of my partnership with my husband as the most critical relationship in my life and I hope we’re in it for the long haul. But as I get to know more couples who’ve opted out of marriage, I sometimes find myself wondering if our life together would be any different if we hadn’t tied the knot. I never considered not getting married (yes, I wanted to rock the white dress and have the big party!) so I was curious about how women who’ve been in long-term non-married relationships think about what “happily ever after” means for them. I reached out to 20 women who, for personal, financial, and political reasons chose not to get hitched. They were more than willing to give me the inside scoop on their relationships. And believe me, their love isn’t any less valid without that piece of paper. Read on for interesting insights about love and commitment from these happily unmarried women!
