Life is short, there are pretty affordable ways to get married if you arent attached to the idea of having a huge wedding, while still making it affordable. Another thing is that legally in many states, if you live with your partner and share finances long enough you are considered to be common law married. Usually its in the neighborhood of 3-4 years.

But either way, some states (if youre in the US) allow you to self solemnize your wedding amongst yourselves. You dont even have to have a courthouse wedding. Honestly the norm of spending ungodly amounts of money to marry each other is overrated, IMO