I respectfully suggest that the necessity of marriage depends on how traditional the upbringing of each party. Looking at your photo, you are clearly at least a generation younger than I am. Considering the changes in society during my life, I would assume that marriage would be seen as less necessary by the generations after mine. But, no matter what age, some people need the ceremony for validation. Of course, what may be seen by some as security can be seen by others as imprisoning.