Traditionally, when we think of marriage, we think of love and relationships – but one woman has highlighted that there can be different levels to this.
Jay Guercio, a TikTok user, has gone viral on the social media platform after explaining that she and her best friend got married and have a child – even though they’re not in a romantic relationship.
Posting as @thelovelyjaybird, she responded to a prompt asking people to share a “misconception” people have about you and your spouse.
“That we’re romantically involved,” she said. “Let me explain… My best friend and I, of eight years, got married, had a commitment ceremony, whatever you want to call it.”
“We did this because we wanted to raise kids together, we wanted to live our lives by each other’s side.
“I couldn’t imagine living the life I live without her by my side, I trust her, I appreciate her, we work together, we are partners, we make decisions together, we act as a married couple does, but we don’t have the romantic or physical stuff.
“We have complete freedom to seek out romantic or physical relationships, but to be honest that’s not what I want or need right now.”
Jay continued: “The love that we have, the trust, the laughter, the shenanigans, that’s everything that I could ever ask for and I’m happy and proud of our marriage.”
(Image: tiktok.com)
In a follow-up video, she went on to explain how the pair of them made this big decision, saying: “Our friendship slowly but surely blossomed into being best friends.
“I was in a very toxic relationship that ended in late 2019 and over 2020 I was on the quest for my next grand love story and throughout this quest, I realised that my next grand love story might not actually exist and Krystal and I had always joked about getting married and raising foster kids together and living our lives by each other’s side like best friends fantasize about.
“One day a young man came into my life who needed a home and love and a family and I called her up and I was like, ‘I think I’m raising this kid’ and she was like ‘no, we’re raising this kid’ and we got married and became a family.”
More than two million people watched her video, with it garnering over 358,000 likes and thousands of comments.
Many people loved the idea of a platonic marriage, with one person writing: “I loooove how this generation is redefining families. Doing what’s best for each one of us.”
Another said: “Marry your platonic best friend to be happy. Got it.”
A third replied: “Here’s the thing: I don’t understand this & wouldn’t do it myself. Here’s the other thing: I don’t have to & I’m so glad you’re happy.”
Someone else added: “I like this a LOT. It just makes much sense. Regular marriages are good too but this is one way I haven’t thought of.”
Others were sceptical and wondered what would happen when one of them found a romantic partner they wanted to marry.
Would you marry your best friend? Let us know in the comments below.
