In today's world where couples live together and often have children without marriage, getting married seems to have become, well, the ultimate commitment.
For some people, it takes a lot to get to that altar. For others, they're ready the minute their eyes lock across a crowded room.
WHAT? NO VOLUNTEERS FOR MARRIAGE?
It may come as no surprise, to women at least, that men in many cultures weren't inclined to sign on for the concept of marriage.
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS
Of all of the ancient marriage customs that have, in some way, made their way into the contemporary world, one is also a very popular romance genre. That would be Marriage of Convenience. Yes, these really do take place, and most romance authors have written books with that trope.
APRIL FOOL BRIDE
Spring is the time when love seems to make itself known. That means weddings will be coming up in a couple of months! Yum. Wedding cake—my favorite.
YOU'RE CORDIALLY INVITED
Once the proporsal is made and accepted, it's time to plan the wedding. This requires intelligence gathering similar to planning the D-Day invasion. All kidding aside, whether a splashy gala celebration with hundreds of guests or a smaller friends and family event, the wedding is a public announcement that the couple belong to each other.
It wasn't always like this. Ancient history tells us that marriage was first a private, domestic affair. According to Curious Customs of Sex and Marriage by George Ryley Scott (which you might find at used book stores), the basic function of marriage was to multiply and replenish the earth. Marriages were simply a way of regulating procreation.
It may come as no surprise, to women at least, that men in many cultures weren't inclined to sign on for the concept of marriage.
Perhaps that explains why so many nations (remember, just about all society was patriarchal) experimented with Polygyny.
I'm pretty sure men signed up quickly for that form of plural marriage in which they were multiple wives.
But waitt, women had their own version of plural marriage with Polyandry, a form of polygamy that allowed a woman to take two or more husbands at the same time.
MONOGAMY WINS OUT
Eventually, in most civilized nations of the world, monogamy, marriage with only one spouse, was accepted almost universally—at least in theory. Perfect or not, monogamy was probably what kept the world rocking along for a couple of millennia—dragging all of the customs and superstitions created along the way into our modern world.
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS
Of all of the ancient marriage customs that have, in some way, made their way into the contemporary world, one is also a very popular romance genre. That would be Marriage of Convenience. Yes, these really do take place, and most romance authors have written books with that trope.
Since it's April, it's the perfect time to tell you about one of my novels that uses the Marriage of Convenience theme.
Oil heiress Madeline Quinn needs a husband by the time she turns twenty-five in order to claim her full inheritance.
Mad Maddie, as the tabloids christened her, learned the hard way that men only see dollar signs when they look at her.
Maddie decides a marriage of convenience is the only answer. She turns to the one man in the world she can trust, her housekeeper’s son who always treated her like a little sister when they were growing up—until one disastrous night when she acted impetuously.
Jake Becker hasn’t seen Maddie since the night she tried to seduce him. Why should he help the woman who changed the course of his life? Simple. Revenge.
Or is it something else? Something that sizzles like steam heat between Maddie and Jake that neither can resist!?
APRIL FOOL BRIDE is a free read in Kindle Unlimited in case you're a subscriber. Otherwise, it's only $2.99.
WEDDING SEASON
Maddie decides a marriage of convenience is the only answer. She turns to the one man in the world she can trust, her housekeeper’s son who always treated her like a little sister when they were growing up—until one disastrous night when she acted impetuously.
Jake Becker hasn’t seen Maddie since the night she tried to seduce him. Why should he help the woman who changed the course of his life? Simple. Revenge.
Or is it something else? Something that sizzles like steam heat between Maddie and Jake that neither can resist!?
APRIL FOOL BRIDE is a free read in Kindle Unlimited in case you're a subscriber. Otherwise, it's only $2.99.
WEDDING SEASON
Spring is the time when love seems to make itself known. That means weddings will be coming up in a couple of months! Yum. Wedding cake—my favorite.
This is interesting!
ReplyDelete*g* Thanks, Liz.
DeleteInteresting. The last wedding I attended was so choreographed and staged, it felt, well, weird- like the spontaneity and passion was replaced with hold for the camera moments. I guess everything changes and evolves but nothing is better than a giddy bride and a lovestruck groom.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. In today's world, many of them look as if they'll be seen on YouTube tomorrow.
Delete