As with a proposal after frequently discussing marriage with your beloved, it can still be nerve-wracking to ask for a future father-in-law's blessing or approval, even if you get along great and you expect him to be congenial.
By Emily Lasnier & Kelcy ChristyIt’s an unfortunate truth that marriage used to be more about an exchange of property than love, but thankfully times have evolved. In the 19th century, the tradition of asking a father for his daughter’s hand in marriage was popularized.
Though the romance of becoming husband and wife had reached that time, women were still largely under the control of their parents, so permission to marry from a future father-in-law was required. That is no longer the case, of course, but many people still partake in the tradition to ask a father to marry his daughter. However, nowadays the hopeful grooms typically ask for the father’s blessing as a gesture of respect, rather than feeling compelled to request permission to marry by society.
Just as you may be nervous to propose even after frequently discussing marriage with your beloved, it can still be nerve-wracking to ask for a future father-in-law's blessing or approval, even if you get along great and you expect him to be congenial. In many cases, asking permission is just a formality before you get married; while other couples may think it’s absolutely essential. If your bride is not close with her father or he is no longer with us, consider asking her mother, step parents, family members, or anyone who will play the role of your future in-laws.
Your bride-to-be may not even want you to ask her father for her hand in marriage, so if this is the case, consider just involving the family in the process of finding an engagement ring or planning the proposal – both of which can be a nice gesture and bonding experience.