Arranged marriages are different. You meet a person you’ve never known or seen and are expected to give your response to your parents. People follow different approaches when it comes to saying ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Some have clear criteria in mind, while others simply click.
We asked a few people around as to what made them say ‘Yes’ in an arranged marriage and it seems so natural.
1. “I said yes because we both were intent on staying in India and had no plans of moving abroad and settle like most others who would look out for a bride or groom settled abroad. And the conversation between us was not the typical ‘aapko khane me kya pasand hai‘ types.” – Anonymous
2. “We chatted for 4 months and gelled well. Similar thinking and commitment made us say yes. Also, we were ready to break up if things did not work out before getting married. That freedom gave us more space and time to explore and know each other well.” – Anonymous
3. “Nothing extraordinary, just two people meeting each other for the first time. We went out in the balcony to speak privately and it was so comfortable talking to him, as if I’d known him for many years. We didn’t have much in common. He was a pure techie guy and I was from Marketing. I am a voracious reader and he does not read fiction at all. But talking to him was fun, easy and smooth. Once they left, I found myself thinking a lot about him. We met again a few days later and I experienced the same feeling of familiarity. We’ve been married for over 15 years now.” Quora
4. “No one asked my consent. As it was acceptable to my parents, it was assumed it was acceptable to me too. In my early twenties, I hadn’t yet come across anyone who made my heart sing or my eyes twinkle brighter. The world was full of good time Harry’s who didn’t mind being friends but who would marry as per their families’ choice. The guy my parents had introduced to me was very good looking, well employed and had chosen me over the other girls that he had met till date. What was not to like?” – Quora
5. “I met my husband on Bharat Matrimony. We decided a time to meet on messenger to chat. When we sat to chat it was like a house on fire. It just got bigger and bigger. And there was this moment, when I was talking about Greek mythology to explain something but I was sure he won’t understand it completely, but he did! And to my surprise he even came back with a more clever response from another Greek legend. That was when I realised there was something special about this man and it’s going to work with him.” – Quora
6. “Back then I had no interest in getting married. I kept on rejecting the proposals for no reason. I decided to meet the guy my Dad had shortlisted and tell him that I was not interested in getting married. We planned to meet in a temple and we were waiting for them. I didn’t even dress up properly. As he and his family were walking towards us, I saw him and immediately something sparked in my heart. I went speechless for a while. Then we spoke, had dinner and while returning home to my Dad’s surprise I said, Yes.” – Anonymous
7. “Can say love at first sight. Something that didn’t happen when I met so many other prospects.” – Anonymous
8. “We had the same set of filters – she wanted someone who was a teetotaller, non-smoker, vegetarian, no past, health-conscious and from a good college. She matched my criteria as well. We dated for 6 months and found out we had a ton in common. Our conversations were never awkward. In addition she was (and is) very beautiful. Saying yes was based upon the rather heavy conversation we had one evening about some of the terrible things in the world, things we were privileged enough to not go through.” – Reddit
9. “He has a sweet, educated and modern family. He was so clear in his expression of thoughts that I felt a real connect with him in the initial phases of talking. I had a feeling that he would respect my family and take a stand for me when needed.” – Anonymous
10. “Initial interactions with her were very friendly and causal. At no point did I feel ‘decision bounded’. It helped in creating a bond, and I found no reason for saying ‘NO’. So it was a yes.” – Amit
What has been your story?