Recently, there seems to be a shift in the public opinion of marriage as an unneeded preference rather than an important milestone in life A growing number of women today share the belief that the traditional idea of marriage is becoming an outdated and possibly obsolete concept. It can be hard to imagine a world without marriage, but it certainly seems like more of a possibility considering modern advancements in technology, the resources available to women today and the considerable progress made in achieving rights for women in today's age.

In the past, the act of marriage was considered a major factor of a women's contentment or success in life. Nowadays, women are taking advantage of the increasingly open-minded ideas that encourage personal empowerment and independence for them in society today and proving that, even without a wedding or a spouse, they can have fulfilling lives.

Take a look at the top reasons below, on why women are less likely to marry in today's society, do you feel the same?

1. Fear of divorce

When you think of a healthy marriage, you'll often consider several positive traits; companionship, security, mental and physical well-being, support from your partner, stability in your role as a spouse — not to mention the idea that you'll be marrying a person you love, hopefully. Slowly but surely, women today are replacing the typical traits with the fear of the heartache and complications a divorce would bring. Can you blame them when considering that fifty percent of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce?

2. Weddings are stressful and expensive

In order to execute wedding plans, couple's will spend over $30,000 in the U.S. Even if they were to "budget" and cut back in several areas during the planning process, they would still spend end up spending thousands. Women not only have to worry about the enormous price tag attached to a marriage ceremony, but also the inevitable stress that accompanies it. There are dozens of factors that can influence the amount of stress a wedding causes; deciding which family member and friends make the attendee list, bridesmaid choices, accommodating schedules, diets, staying within budget, making sure the groom didn't run off last minute, etc. Understandably, many women have shown to prefer a simple, cohabitation lifestyle with their significant other, minus a wedding.

3. The traditional marriage institution is dying

We live in an ever-changing, modern era. Traditional customs or societal norms have shifted over the years or completely disappeared. It's no different when thinking of marriage as a practice that has been around since the second millennium. The motivations that were once present to encourage marriage, such as the exchange between spouses; typically shelter and protection from a man, sustenance and offspring from a woman — are no longer relevant. Women are equally competent to men in today's world thanks to recent efforts to increase women's rights, specifically through a growing presence in the workforce.

4. They haven't found someone they like enough

It's one of those timeless sayings, "Just wait, someday, I'll find the one." Indicating that the women using it are biding their time until they meet a prospective partner that matches all their ideal requirements of a significant other. Though the dominant narrative in society today conflicts, suggesting that an 'idealistic' representation of a partner, will only result in missing out on a more fulfilling relationship.

5. They associate marriage with loss of freedom

Even outside of marriage, dating and being in a relationship can be restrictive for those accustomed to independent lifestyles. It's not unusual that once in a relationship, your partner will expect you to spend energy and time into building and sustaining your bond. Women who disapprove of marriage may not be keen on focusing their time and attention on their partner rather than themselves. The ultimate fear might be the inclination they feel to completely disregard their personal needs and ambitions in order to put their partner first in life, essentially confining themselves to a limited lifestyle.

6. The finances would be complicated

If couples had trouble splitting date dues, imagine how complicated dealing with finances in marriage would be. Sooner or later in a relationship, there will be a need to discuss how financial duties will be handled. Some couples choose to split living expenses according to the who brings in more income, others will attempt to equally designate the responsibility. No matter how the couple decides to approach the subject, it certainly seems to complicate finances to a point that most single people wouldn't reach. Marriage brings with it financial and legal obligations that play a significant role in millennial women rethinking the price they're willing to pay by deciding to marry.

7. Being single is simply preferable

There are some people that openly admit they prefer to be alone. It's not because they dislike the idea of being with others, it's likely because they feel genuinely at ease without a partner. They don't feel that they require a significant other to feel fulfilled in their lives. Being single can give women an opportunity to spend their time leisurely and without the care-taking aspect they tend to take on when in a relationship. For instance, it's been found that women take on more domestic tasks than men in heterosexual relationships like cleaning and cooking, as well as dealing with emotional labor.

8. Love doesn't always mean marriage

Societal norms will mislead us to believe that a love between two people can only culminate successfully through marriage. There are women out there today that disagree with beliefs suggesting marriage translates to a woman's happiness. Marriage is recognized as a social construct that serves to define a relationship legally, it also tends to change the perception or how those involved are identified by others. Depending on the individual, they may not see the need to validate their feelings to society or the government, they know they are content, even without a tax break.

9. They don't want children

There's a clear connection between marriage and children. Whether that be due to the age-old expectations of women to procreate following marriage or the idea that a proper family can only result from such a union. Naturally, women that have decided or consciously prefer to not have children now or ever will be hesitant to commit to marriage. You may think, why can't those hesitant women still marry and just take measures to prevent pregnancy, such as birth control? Well, you didn't factor in that the women might be more concerned with an onslaught of questioning and pressure from people around them, whether it be purposeful, related to how they've managed to be married but not have a single child, year after year. Even worse, possibly from their own spouse if they change their mind on wanting kids.

10. They're focusing on their careers

It's a well-known but unfortunate truth that women in western countries have lacked access to equal employment opportunities compared to their male counterparts. It's only more recently that women have made strides in obtaining high-level, executive positions in a variety of fields. The worry that a woman will need to push aside a growing career or the chance of fulfilling a dream related to her profession is a valid reason for her to think twice about marriage.