I was with my, now husband, for 4 years prior to the 'paperwork'. We are one year in and I wanted to give my feelings of MY 1st year of marriage. Prior to that finalization in Vegas, I had genuinely thought and  confidentially told people "We are practically married we have combined budget, rent, 2 cats etc."    But once me and my SO of 4 years were... court official... shit was different. Nothing from the day-to day aspects was effected but... choices were. i.e. when he thought baking soda and vinegar would release a toxic gas when combined, when cleaning drains, or the time he tried making a "green tea latte" by combining hot green tea and ice cubes, and got sad the ice cubes melted.... Or the time a girl wrote you on facebook saying your husbannd had flirted with her 2 weeks ago on another social media website with proof...

These are the times that, when single ,that

you can say "That P.O.S. ain't legally mine", or even "Hell l'm single by law- get me out" yea... those don't suffice when married. Never encountered someone who had never made a volcanoe with baking soda/vinegar mix, nor had an emotional affair with someone else. And now you are maried... never had I had to ask myself WTF do u do now?? That alone to me, was when I realized .... what marriage is.