What 6 Men Say They Love Most About Being Married

Sometimes, I wonder what my husband Chris loves about being married to me. I mean, I know I’m a good wife and all, but our relationship is different than it was when we first started dating.

Now that we’ve been together for years, he’s fully aware of my flaws, has seen me at my worst (childbirth, the flu, you name it), and knows where I keep my tampons. I’m pretty sure those aren’t what make a guy psyched to be with one woman for the rest of his life.  
 

I know I could just ask him, but I’m a little nervous that he won’t know what to say. When you’ve been married for a while, it becomes really easy to spout off things that bug you about your S.O.; the flip side isn’t always as simple. Plus, we don’t have feelings talks often—unless saying, “I feel annoyed that you left a trail of lights on in the house again” counts.

So instead of asking Chris, I decided to quiz a bunch of other married men first to see how guys react to the question. And what I found was awesome. All of the men I spoke with raved about how marriage changed their relationships and what they got out of it.

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Here’s what they told me:

“The integrity of our relationship changed after we became married. It became more than someone that you go out with. Once we got married, we became teammates and partners. It’s just better. It’s hard to put into words specifically what I love about being married to my wife. The way that we are together, the comfort that I have, the faith that she’s always going to be there for me…it’s indescribable.” —Mike
 

“Marriage helped us to get in sync about how we wanted to create our future together—where we want to live, how we want to raise our kids, etc. I think life gets more challenging the older I get, so having someone I respect and trust to go through these experiences with me is vital to having a successful life.” —Eric

“Marriage just made us even closer. I love everything about marriage. I love going to bed with my favorite person in the world. I love talking to her because she’s genuinely interested in what I’m saying. I love the fact that my wife provides me with so many different roles that most men probably need 10 people to fill.  She’s my best friend, my business partner, my co-parent, my confidant, my drinking buddy, and, a lot of times, my voice of reason.  She fills these roles because she wants to and I want her to. I’ve actually got a lot of friends, but none as good as my wife.” —Jason

“What I like about being married is the continuation and progression of all the great things about our relationship. We are officially family now, and she is mine forever. I’m proud to call her my wife.” —Ben

“Our relationship was great before we got married, but it became more meaningful after. There’s something about knowing that the other person isn’t just going to pick up and leave that creates a special bond. I have my best buddy with me for life, and I love it.” —Sam
 

Um, wow. I was blown away by how much these men are into the idea of ever after. According to stereotypes, aren’t men supposed to resist the confines of marriage?

Nope, says licensed clinical psychologist Ramani Durvasula, Ph.D. “Men can love marriage,” she says. “Society and peer group issues may make it harder to get them to the gate, but once they get there, they’re all in.”

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She also points out that while women usually see their husbands as one of many vital people in their lives, men tend to view their wives as their everything—friend, partner, and lover. In their minds, that makes their marriages especially meaningful and can make them incredibly loyal.

After doing my research and hearing all of those sweet comments, I decided to just ask Chris already. I was still a little nervous, but I was really curious to hear what he would say. Our conversation went a little something like this:

Me: “Babe, how do you think our relationship changed after we got married?”
Chris (without hesitation): “Finances! We have to tell each other what we spend now!”
Me: “Um, okay. Well, what about the positives? What do you like about being married to me?”
Chris: “Oh! …I love being married to you because you’re funny, happy, caring, and selfless. Our marriage makes my life better. We’re officially partners now, and it’s awesome.”

Turns out, I was worried about nothing.

RELATED: I’m Married, and I Still Don’t Believe in Happily Ever After

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Korin Miller is a writer, SEO nerd, wife, and mom to a little one-year-old dude named Miles. Korin has worked for The Washington Post, New York Daily News, and Cosmopolitan, where she learned more than anyone ever should about sex. She has an unhealthy addiction to gifs.