4 reasons why I'm never getting married

As much as I love a good party, I can think of 101 things I’d rather spend money on than a wedding celebration. The average wedding cost in the United States is $33,391. That’s a whole lot of travel, and I have serious wanderlust.

I’ve joked with partners over the years that the only way I’d consider tying the knot was if I could get a killer set of kitchen knives. Which is kind of silly, given I’m at a point in life where I can afford any wedding gift registry item I want on my own.

That said, I am financially independent; my very own "knight in shining armor," if you will. I don’t need a spouse to support me, and in every relationship, I've kept a separate bank account.

I also need a lot of alone time and space. I've cohabitated with partners in the past, but have maintained a long streak of solo living. I can't imagine swapping my solace for shacking up with significant other anytime soon.

In another twist, I'm non-monogamous. Roughly 5% of Americans, myself included, live a non-monogamous lifestyle.

The style I practice is polyamory, which means I can have sex, love, and, deep intimacy with multiple partners. Sure, I know plenty of happily married poly couples. I've had (and have) partners who play a significant, ongoing role in my life, but I fiercely value my freedom.

Some of us were raised to think of intimacy and partnership in a very particular way — a way that involves marriage. But there are countless ways to live and love, and there's no one-size-fits-all approach.

Marriage isn't necessarily a flawed institution — it's just not for me. And the thing is, whether you put a ring on it or not, all relationships require support, communication, and effort.