Hubby and I lived together 6 years before we got married at bike week. (And we were in a nice quiet rural area.)
Nice to know SO and I are no longer living outside the law.
We are both past child bearing age, both divorced, my children are grown. Oddly enough his children prefer our home and are with us 80% of the time. We both made serious mistakes in our previous marriages and endured hellish divorces. Neither of us can face coming under the jurisdiction of the family court system again for ANY reason.
We've drawn up appropriate legal documents to handle our finances and our health and our heirs. I think we are being responsible citizens. In our cirumstances it seems unlikely that lack of a marriage certificate is going to shake the foundations of civilization.