( CNN ) -- You might have heard : Brad and Angelina secretly tied the knot at last . A spokesperson for the couple announced that the pair wed privately in a nondenominational civil ceremony in France over the weekend . So ends years of speculation as to when , if ever , one of Hollywood 's more famously liberal couples will finally make it official . It 's official . The first question , of course : Why now ? With the recent , public undoing of some long-term celebrity marriages—Melanie Griffiths and Antonio Banderas , Neil and Pegi Young—it 's tempting to wonder why another celebrity couple would even bother . Pitt and Jolie have sustained a seemingly successful relationship ( and built a rather large family ) without marriage , and the pair is famously liberal besides—the sort of people you might assume are among those a recent Pew Research Center survey found to increasingly consider marriage passé . Conformist . On the road to obsolete . But while marriage in the United States is indeed at a record low , there are still considerable benefits to getting hitched . Marriage confers many financial rights : Federal provisions provide benefits and protections exclusively to married couples , as they also do to small businesses , homeowners and the unemployed . That 's one reason millions of gay Americans , and their friends and supporters , continue to fight for the right to marry traditionally . It also comes with emotional , psychological and intellectual benefits . According to studies cited by the National Marriage Project , people in happy marriages are healthier , have more and better sex , and are richer than their unmarried counterparts -- not that it matters to Brad and Angie . Research also shows that the more education and financial independence a woman has , the more likely she is to stay married . But let 's not forget that if you are a celebrity , marriage also does a pretty good job of , you guessed it , garnering press . A cynical view , perhaps , but not unwarranted , especially when you consider Brad and Angelina have never exactly shied away from using their relationship and their children as story hooks . It 's hard not to wonder if the announcement of the marriage had anything to do with his upcoming film , `` Fury , '' set for release in October , or hers , `` Unbroken , '' which she directed , due out Christmas Day . Meanwhile , this summer the two began filming `` By the Sea , '' their first film as co-stars since `` Mr. and Mrs. Smith , '' the movie that sparked their romance . At the very least , the many , many reports on their marriage will surely mention these projects , as -- oh , look -- I 've just gone and done . Brad and Angelina 's decision to marry after a decade and six children seems like an incredibly informed one that reflects recent research from the National Marriage Project , which finds couples who make intentional decisions regarding `` major relationship transitions , '' rather than just letting things happen because it 's the next logical step , are more likely to have successful marriages . And indeed , their union is representative of the rising rates of cohabitation before marriage , which gives people more time to make sure theirs is a good choice . So maybe that 's it . Maybe these two waited so long precisely because they do n't take marriage ( his second , her third ) lightly . Getting more moviegoers in seats as a result ? Well , that 's just the icing on the proverbial wedding cake .
Peggy Drexler : « Le monde est en train de changer Drexler says marriage in U.S. is at a record low , but it still offers substantial benefits . Drexler : Couples who make intentional choice , or live together first , more likely to last .