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Asking for a fathers blessing...

posted 1 year ago in Family
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    bobbyG    June 2012  

    I am preparing to propose to my girlfriend of 3 years.  My relationship with her family is strong, we've spent a few holidays together and her father has told me on more than one occaision how much he likes having me around (an ideal and rare situation, I know).

    We just spent Thanksgiving together, when I intended to speak with her father regarding my intentions to propose in about 2 weeks.  Suddenly, I started wondering whether I was supposed to be asking for his blessing before or after proposing to her?  What is the TRUE tradition?  In classic literature, the man (typically) proposes to the woman first and then asks for the blessing of the father afterwards, but it seems as though many believe you should ask for the blessing beforehand...?

    As a disclaimer, I would rather not see posts about how it is chauvinistic to ask a fathers permission to marry his daughter.  Both of our familys are traditional, midwest family's, we don't view women as property :)  Im asking for a blessing, not permission...

     
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    hisbunny    March 13, 2010   ND

    I would say that her dad would really respect you if you asked him for his blessing before proposing...  And I am a traditional young lady.

    My dad really appreciated it when my hubby asked him.

     

    Congrats!!!  

     
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    mwitter80    December 11, 2010   Connecticut

    You are suppose to ask prior to the proposal hence wanting the blessing (aka permission, who cares what you call it really) My FI asked my father and I thought is was so super sweet.  My father appreciated this gesture so much, actually mentioning that my sisters now husband never did that and it always bothered him.

    My fiance asked my father to meet him for breakfast one morning and asked his permission then. 3 days later we were engaged with my father's blessing :)

     
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    KatNYC2011    September 24, 2011   London, UK (american expat)

    @bobbyG: Ask the father first. My fiance called my dad the morning before he proposed. He had to sneak my phone from me to find my dad's cell number so he could call. My dad is originally from the south and love it.

    If you think both she and her father would appreciate it, ask his blessing first. If you think they'll give it away (like my FI thought my parent's would) ask him the same day you plan to propose so they don't have time to spill the beans.

    As long as it is something she wants too, I'd call this chivalry not chauvinism.

     
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    rlsh86    January 29, 2011   Florida

    I always thought you were supposed to ask the father first (or have him give his blessing)  i would have loved if my husband had done this (call me old fashioned, but i like the ideal of it) but we didn't meet each other parents until after we were married

     
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    PinkPinstripes    November 2011   Boston, MA

    Ask the father first.

    My fiance took my Dad and my Mom out to a nice dinner and asked them there. It sounds like you have a great relationship with him, I'm sure he'd appreciate some one on one time with you!

    I think it's very classy to ask the Dad first. Besides, it gives you two something to bond over.

    Good luck and congrats!!

     
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    jimbert321    September 10, 2011   Southwestern Ontario

    LIke all the PP's said you should ask the Father first. My FI called my Dad and asked him about a week before hand, my Dad's reposnse - About time! I know he really apperciated FI asking him because I'm not only really close to my Dad but an only child too...

     
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    Baileyh    July 24, 2010   Vancouver

    @bobbyG: as PP mentioned already, ask first then propose :)

    My DH asked my both my parents before he proposed (well they were all in the car together *laugh*) My father really appreciated it and i think it was super sweet for him to do it. (I actually think DH was more nervous about asking them then me!! (even though my parents gave him their blessing ten fold))

     

    Good luck and congrats!! 

     
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    rachaelrobin    January 16, 2011   Philadelphia

    My FI spoke with my Dad, in person, a few months before (but once he had the ring) that he intended to propose. It was really sweet and meant a lot to both me and my Dad. 

     
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    jenter    September 4, 2011   NYC

    As everyone else has said - ask first then propose! 

    Since we don't live near my parents, my FI wrote them letters instead.  They loved it and my dad was very impressed!

     
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    kelsgurl    August 13, 2011   South Dakota

    FI asked for my Dad's blessing before proposing.  When I found out afterward, I cried and thought it was the sweetest thing.  If you're traditional Midwestern folks (like us!) I'd definitely recommend it.  It meant a lot to me (and him).

     
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    Monkeygirl    September 5, 2010   Philadelphia

    Agreed with the PP's- ask FIRST, then propose. DH asked both my parents, who like your parents, are traditional. They were not at all happy when my BIL didn't ask for their blessing before proposing to my sister. It wasn't like they weren't going to give it (they dated for 7 years!), but they felt it was a respect issue. Their feelings were hurt over this and it is something they've brought up a few times over the years. Since your FIL's are traditional too, I think you are starting things out on the right foot with them. Like you said, it's not a women=property issue, it's just a nice thing to do for people who value this tradition.

    Good luck and congratulations to you and your fiance-to-be! :)

     
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    jamiemichelle    October 16, 2010   North Carolina

    My husband asked my father first (without me knowing) and my dad let me know recently how much it meant to him. He actually asked him twice... the first time my dad said no, that he thought we were too young and that we needed to make sure we could live with each other without killing one another! So he waited another year and asked again and my dad said okay, because he saw that we could live together.

    I would take him out to dinner and ask.. it may be an outdated tradition to some, but a lot of dads think it's really important.

     
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    KaitlinHudson    December 18, 2010   Patuxent River, MD

    FI asked my father when they went to go play tennis together and we were engaged just a few days later. My father really appreciated it. 

     
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    NDBee    March 10, 2012  

    My FI asked my mom, as well as my grandparents and a very close family friend who's supported us like a dad would. They were honored to be in on the surprise and so excited.  It doesn't need to be a request for a blessing or permission, I think he did a more 'thank you for raising NDBee, she means the world to me ...lalalala.' I think it's respectful if that's the tradition your families follow and it will be much appreciated. 

     
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    bobbyG    June 2012  

    Thank you all for the immediate and wise replies!  Since they are 2 hours away perhaps it will be difficult to get it done in the next week and a half now :(  I really am a face-to-face type of guy, and feel like thats the way to go.  I know a few mentioned their fiance calling the father and asking, is this acceptable?  I can't decide if I should do that, or if I should try and figure out a way to get back down there soon...

     
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    KatNYC2011    September 24, 2011   London, UK (american expat)

    @bobbyG: My parents live on the other side of the country from FI and I and we only see them 2 or 3 times a year.

    He wanted to wait until he had the ring to ask and we weren't going to see them again until Thanksgiving (he proposed over Labor Day weekend). We had just spent time with them in early August.

    It's the gesture that is really important, seeing as they aren't "right around the corner" I'm sure a phone call would be received well.  But if you really feel it needs to be done face to face, then do it face to face.

    Good luck!

     
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    stephinPA    October 29, 2010   Reading, PA

    I agree with asking her father first.  I love tradition! 

     
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    JsDragonfly    December 29, 2009  

    My DH asked my dad and everyone (Dad, me, family, DH) was so glad he did it!  It really gave them a good chance to talk/bond!  As a side note...I would never think this practice is chauvinistic at all!  When I had gotten engaged, I had been out on my own or 10 years, 100% independt from my parents...like you said, you are asking for a blessing, not a permission!  Good for you for doing this!  I know of a lot of guys that wanted to do this, but didn't have the nerve to.

     
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    NDBee    March 10, 2012  

    @bobbyG: Could you maybe call FFIL and ask to meet mid way (an hour each) for dinner *on you if you can swing it* and have the face to face then? Phone calls work, but as you're a face to face guy, that might be a situation you can line up. Or, use Skype :-) If they don't have it, you can easily walk them through the download and then you can at least see faces while you're visiting about the big plans!

     
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    hellorebecca    February 19, 2011   Durham,NC

    i say CALL! (if you can't get back down there before the planned proposal). you would hate to make your GF wait longer just because you wanted to ask her dad in person. so yeah, see if you can make the drive, but if not, I say go for it on the phone!

     

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