Marriage is amazing for so many reasons, not the least of which is that you get to spend the rest of your life with the man or woman you love. But there are way more reasons to celebrate than just being able to wake up each morning beside your loved one's pretty face. Here are seven other things we—and the experts—know you'll adore about being married.

No more wedding-planning stress!

Sure, it was fun (at times) to gather around the dinner table and discuss centerpiece choices, but now that you two have said “I do,” you can focus on your marriage and your future as well as just enjoy time together without the added stress of wedding planning, says psychologist Lauren Napolitano.

You'll be seen with a new kind of respect.

“Even if you were living together for six years,” says Napolitano, “other people will regard your relationship as ‘more legitimate' when you're married.”

You're focused on a shared future.

You've got someone to attain goals with, as well as to plan the fun stuff. “You can make plans together to travel, to have children, and how to spend the holidays,” Napolitano says.

You'll feel a new kind of peace contentment.

When you were dating, you wondered if he'd ever propose. Once he popped the question, you might have been consumed with wedding-planning stress. “But after the wedding, it's great to enjoy your spouse without the extraneous overthinking,” Napolitano says.

You're a family.

“This has got to be the biggest benefit,” says Napolitano. “When you're married, you're a family—your family trees are intertwined.”

You'll feel a new sense of security.

“You know who you will spend Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve with for the future,” she says. “And you're with someone who is excited to spend his future with you.”

You'll make new traditions.

Together, you'll love to carve your own unique path. “You can create your own quirky traditions if you want,” says Napolitano. “You can move to the city or abroad.”

This article was written by Jillian Kramer for Brides.com.
Photo: Details Nashville