I'll let you know what *I* got out of the contract: medical insurance when I wasn't employed by a company that would help me get insurance.
We had a house, a kid, and been together about 6-7 years. I had given her a "wedding" ring one Christmas, in front of tons of family, making the statement "You put it on and you agree to stick together, and make me dinner." OK, that last part didn't go over so well
Eventually she really wanted that piece of paper. I got laid off. She came home with her company policy that it covers "same-sex life partners" so she could get it for me. Well, you have insurance, you have to make the change. That was a Thursday. We got married on Saturday, IIRC.
Women do NOT always get the alimony. I personally know men who ended up getting a check every month from their ex, and one for taking care of the kids too.