There is often an awkwardness and a tentativeness that goes on in the minds of extended family members. After-all, how permanent is this relationship, in their view? If they get too tied up emotionally and otherwise, and the relationship breaks apart, more hearts are broken and other complications arise, so it seems to make the best sense to hold back in different ways.
It’s true that many marriages break up, leading to their own set of complications, but somehow when vows are exchanged in marriage between the man and woman, it is viewed that this is a relationship where the couple are vowing to permanence and showed it by getting married. The family members have more reason to believe this will be a “forever” relationship.
And while it may or may not be true that the “man” sees the relationship less seriously than the woman, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that either the man OR the woman is probably less serious about the relationship than the other. Otherwise, why is there hesitation in making it permanent legally as well as emotionally, especially if both are Christians.
Which brings up next the issue which is, even more importantly, that there are spiritual reasons for not living together. As followers of Christ we are to do things God’s way: