It depends. I’d say the biggest difference is that we (I’m also German) wouldn’t call someone husband and wife when they live together, but otherwise people don

It depends. I’d say the biggest difference is that we (I’m also German) wouldn’t call someone husband and wife when they live together, but otherwise people don’t care much (at least here in the north, the south is usually more traditional). Tax and other benefits (I married someone from non-EU which gave her a residence permit) can make marriage a practical choice, though.