We lived together for about 5 years. We got married (12-12-12 - how do you like that!) and it was mainly because of financial reasons (income tax, insurance, jointly owned property) not because we needed the security of a marriage license. It was my second marriage (after 28 years the first time) and his first marriage, and being this late in life, no childred. My son had two children with a live in partner, they never married, and have now split up.