Gender and Relationships (The Right One!)

I love watching wedding shows on TLC like "Say Yes to the Dress" or "Four Weddings" and have been planning my perfect wedding since I was ten years old. This doesn't mean that I hold my wedding day as the most important part of marriage. There's so much more to it than that; however, I think that the wedding day and the proposal are two sacred traditions that would be a shame to lose. I agree with the author that the couple should discuss the idea of marriage before getting engaged, but I think he is slightly harsh with his criticism of women looking for "signs" that their significant other is going to propose. The couple could have already discussed the possibility of marriage and thus the girl looks for these "clues" of when and where he will propose. Andy makes a proposal seem like a business deal between two corporate executives. They're in love! Let them have their fun and surprises! Let the women plan every single detail of their perfect day because it's their one day to be a princess. As for the reader's comment, I think she was right in saying that he focuses entirely on the effect of women's expectations and not on men's. I think that both men and women enjoy planning this day together because it's the first challenge they overcome as a married couple. They make decisions, are forced to compromise, and will probably get in more than one argument. An engagement and wedding is the first test of a marriage and the first glorious moment of the rest of a couple's lives, not just one day that women obsess over.