Arranged Marriage
Throughout history it has been a favoured practice in many cultures particularly in Royal and aristocratic society. In the UK fewer marriages are arranged these days although they are still favoured in some cultures or religions. The process of arranged marriage could in some cases be compared to that of matchmaking as it is an introduction.
Arranged marriage can be confused with forced marriage, which is a completely different thing.
It is not only parents who can make introductions, sometimes professional matchmakers may be involved and others both inside and outside of the family. The factors that would usually be considered are things like religion, culture, the family reputation and of course wealth and profession.
Pros of arranged marriage:
>A compatible belief system is always a good starting point for any relationship
>To have a partner from a similar social circle, with similar finances and expectations for the future.
>Makes it easier for those who are not as socially confident to find a partner, based on character and merit
>Divorce statistics are much lower at around 4% compared to what some studies suggest could be as high as 50% in the UK, although it should be noted that there may be other cultural reasons why those in arranged marriages are less likely to end in divorce.
Cons of Arranged Marriage:
>If arranged based on the values of the arranger rather than those involved, it could result in compatibility issues
>Love will take time to develop
>A person may be limited to marrying only one of the matches presented. Depending on the criteria used to select a match, it may limit the number of potential options available.
>There may also be pressure to marry, which may influence decisions.
If you are concerned that an arranged marriage is becoming more of a forced marriage click here
