Personally, I think it shows commitment and a common project. Commitment not so much because you sign on the dotted line, because - as you say - divorces abound and the paper can be figuratively torn down very easily, but because you really decide to get committed to the other person. Mind you, I can see people not really needing to sign any paper for that - to each their own.

I never was a marriage-freak but neither did I ever get all the marriage-bashing.

Today's my second month of marriage and so far, so good, to be honest!