In America, we do not often hear or have to think about arranged marriages. We pretty much, for the most part, marry for love. As marriages have now been on the decline for a few decades, one has to wonder about the future of marriage. Are we looking at a future that shuns the union of marriage? https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/2020/4/marriage-rate-blog-test

What happens to those people who still want to get married when a majority of people now lean towards the “not for me” lane? Do they write off their dreams of being a wife or a husband, or do they sign up for shows like the ones we see on Netflix and TLC?

Shows like Married at First Sight and Love is Blind are similar to arranged marriages. Instead of family members picking the potential bride and groom, a TV show does the picking. When I say arranged marriages, I am not talking about forced marriages. A forced marriage is when one or both parties have no say in getting married.

A forced marriage would be sort of like my marriage! I was standing in front of the judge, with retreat written all over my face. I looked at my husband, and then I looked back at my cousin. She was the one who paid for my wedding dress, so she was invested! She mouthed the famous words “I WIll KICK YOUR ASS,” so I politely turned back around and spit out the two little words, which started the rest of my life.

In the seconds before she threatened me with bodily harm, I was about to go the bathroom and never come back! I look back at that day and laugh! Little did I know, I would still be with my husband 23 years later. While I would not recommend getting forced into marriage, I would recommend signing up for some of the shows like Love is Blind or Married at First Sight.

Maybe arranged marriages can help to revamp the union before it fades into the background.