jp, i'm not sure that i understand. if others get this, please chime in. it appears that you're making some contradictory statements.
1) you don't want to get married because you don't want to do what the government wants. BUT, you want to be "legally joined". Legally joined entails doing something that the government mandates as a "union". i don't understand what your problem with the government is if you are interested in a government sponsored marriage-like entity.

2) what's the point of you having a reception and changing your name. what is the purpose of the reception? to celebrate your name change and your entrance into a government backed legal, but non-marriage commitment to each other?

why don't you just live together and forget all that government formality if you don't want to get "married". or why don't you invent your own kind of relationship?...maybe where you live together and yet you don't have sex or children...or conversely, where you don't live together and you do have sex and children.

i guess i'm confused on what the real "point" is that you're going for.
sorry not to be of more help.
jasmine

if that's what you want then that's fine.
but how will you file your taxes?

i m sure your not interested in common law marriage!
what happens if yall separate in 10 years what happens with the house.

did you write the pros and cons of what your thinking about doing.
jazzy77,
my cousin had a ceromony where she spoke about her promise to commit to her b/f. theyre some weird religion!
what jp1221 wants isnt harmful.
then again i have a negative out view of marriage b/c of what i've been through.

when your single it's easy to walk away. it just breaks my heart to see so many women that feels traped in there marriage. some people shouldnt be married.

Alright, I understand you like doing things in a different way but doing it in a different way should make some sense as well. If you want to get joined in a weird way, it should benefit in one way or the other. If it does not bring any benefit except that it's different, why go that way? Also, think about the complications that Jasmine is talking about.

Changing last name? Don't know how much that matters. Go the legal way.

You love him, he loves you, that's all!

Not trying to lecture though. Just sharing some of my personal opinions. Don't like them? The trash bin is there!