I'm not pro or anti marriage, I feel like whatever works for the couple, great. However, one thing that amuses me is "a marriage certificate is just a piece of paper". But, for those who want that "level of commitment" without "that paper", they end up having to sign so many more pieces of paper (beneficiary for life insurance, retirement, pension, medical information, etc, etc) that would normally just have the spouse as the default.
I got divorced when we were poor and it was a simple, inexpensive process. We did own a house together, but I just signed it over to him with the agreement that I could rent it for two years from him. In the end, because I was paying the full mortgage and not half, and he had not refinanced it as agreed, he just signed it over to me.
Now, many years later, I have a good job, good benefits, a nice retirement account, a mortgage for much less than my house is worth, property, etc. I also have a son (from previous marriage). I accumulated this on my own. I don't plan to leave a large inheritance, but if things go more right than wrong, it's going to happen.
This is money I earned, I saved, I sacrificed for. Same with the items I own. My son rode along those sacrifices with me, so in a way, he's earned some of it too. It's not easy to be a kid to a single mom who has to be gone 12+ hours a day to earn a good income, while the father is completely absent.
I don't know if I'll ever get remarried. I don't know if I'll ever be in a long term relationship again. I do know, that if it happens, I would feel a duty to preserve my son's place in that "when I die" future, but I'd also need to keep things "fair" with any future spouse/partner. I honestly am not sure what that would look like, but it would involve lawyers, a pre-nup, and redesigning beneficiary setup.
Now, future spouse could have a great job, great financial ethics, but come with half of what I have because of a recent divorce. Or, they could also have children. Or, they could be single and childless (and remain so, since I'm not having any more!)
However, we would build a life together and I wouldn't want that life to be ripped away from someone I love if I were to die.
My "as much as I can plan for goal" is to split my retirement beneficiary. Maybe 25% to spouse, 75% to son (he would ideally have his own retirement, so why would he need more than 25% of mine?) The property? Well, if future-spouse and I build a house together, shops together, pay the taxes and work the land, well, I can't just have him kicked off. Not sure my son would be interested in the land either. So, plan there is to create no debt with spouse. Pay for things as we can, do them together, etc. What if my son wants the land? I'd need to figure out how my spouse could live there, but not be able to sell it or give it away to anyone, and that it would go to my son after spouse's death.
What if we get married and end up divorced? I'm not going to pay for my land a second time, and I'm not going to give it up or sell it. But, there will (likely) be newer buildings and improvements that we both put our blood, sweat, tears, and money into...
There are no blanket answers. Some people's pros are other people's cons.
My situation could be so convoluted that it takes a large pre-nup. Or, I could meet a man who fits into my life so well that the pre-nup is simple and we both walk away with what we came in with, wouldn't want to stay on the property without me if I died or we got divorced, etc.
It doesn't hurt to think about the future so you are aware of your options, but everything will be so dependent on who comes into your life, and who they become after they are there (that last part you have no control over).