IMO, it's the commitment that's important, not the piece of paper that says, "Congratulations! You're married!"
I spent 2 1/2 years with someone that I became "engaged" to after knowing him for about a month. We just clicked. It was one of those things. But he had various outstanding debts, including child support for three kids from his previous marriage, and I wanted to wait until he got his finances more or less in order so I wouldn't be garnished for his debts. (Thanks to the wonderful government Osborn loves so much.
)
Long story short, because I didn't jump and marry him RIGHT THEN, even though I came home to him every night, never even thought about cheating on him, and stood by him through quite a lot of bullshit (INCLUDING bailing him out of jail, because one of his [many] exes put out a warrant on him for "menacing", which he didn't deserve) he cheated on me, told some really elaborate lies about it, and ran off and married the other woman. Apparently being married was more important to him than the quality of the actual relationship.
I still talk to him, and the funny thing is, he hates his wife, his wife's kids are brats, his family was going to sue him because of money he borrowed, his car(s) keep breaking down, blah blah blah. And his wife's tax return was taken away from her to pay for some of his child support rearages.
Meanwhile, I'm nowhere near as naive and trusting as I used to be, and I have more money now that I have no one but myself I have to support. (Well, three cats, but they don't eat much.)
My only point being, marriage doesn't mean shit anymore, and thank GOD I didn't get married, or I'd be in the middle of a divorce right about now. It's pretty damn sad, really.