You don’t need the government involved, or the church. Just if you want their goodies, like a church as venue, or tax breaks. You can have a pagan wedding in the middle of the forest if you want.
…and easy, unchallenged legal transfer of assets when they die without having to prove anything to anybody.
You wouldn’t believe how much harder it is for unmarried people when their partner dies. It definitely depends on your legal jurisdiction, but stuff like “We shared everything for decades” holds no water. If it isn’t bought solely in your name, there’s no particular reason why you would inherit it wholesale, and you may need to sell your joint home of thirty years to pay your debt to your partner’s nephews and neices or something if you don’t have a cast iron will and good lawyers.
To get legal rights, you need the relationship to have legal status.
You don’t need the government involved, or the church. Just if you want their goodies, like a church as venue, or tax breaks. You can have a pagan wedding in the middle of the forest if you want.
…and easy, unchallenged legal transfer of assets when they die without having to prove anything to anybody.
You wouldn’t believe how much harder it is for unmarried people when their partner dies. It definitely depends on your legal jurisdiction, but stuff like “We shared everything for decades” holds no water. If it isn’t bought solely in your name, there’s no particular reason why you would inherit it wholesale, and you may need to sell your joint home of thirty years to pay your debt to your partner’s nephews and neices or something if you don’t have a cast iron will and good lawyers.
To get legal rights, you need the relationship to have legal status.