For love or money, marriage is here to stay
From the link:
"Having enough money was a common consideration, along with the view that marriage signifies that one is no longer struggling economically, in essence, that marriage comes when one has already achieved a certain economic status," Smock said. "Most commonly, this status includes home ownership, getting out of debt, financial stability and essentially not living paycheck to paycheck."
Smock and Manning also found that having enough money to afford a "real" wedding was a concern for many cohabitors. Going downtown to the courthouse is not considered a real wedding, Smock noted. Some of the couples interviewed said they were delaying marriage until they could afford a church wedding and reception, and many expected they would need to pay for their weddings themselves—without help from their parents.
If this is the case, it sounds to me like it's not about idealizing marriage, but materializing marriage. And if that's true, there's nothing idealistic about that.
Actually, it sound like an excuse.
If the woman said no moving in until they're married, they'd find a way. If the woman said no sex until they're married, they'd find a way.
I hate to put it all on the woman, but that's where it is, like it or not. As Bill Cosby once said, "The baby's the fault of the one who last had it."
I would suppose that some marriages are materialistic.
Mine wasnt and isnt. Neither of us had much of anything when we were married except youth and love.
Now we have lost our youth, but the love remains.perhaps more so than ever.