In the news

Fucking calm down. Most people do it out a general respect for the family of the bride that has nothing to do with sexism. The idea that it's the father that is asked is just a hangover of tradition. The tradition of consulting the family is a good one in my opinion. To assume that everyone who "pays lip service to it" is an obnoxious sexist is ridiculous and egocentric.

I am perfectly calm.
It's not 'consulting the family' it is consulting the *bride's *family. You mean you really can't see the sexism and misogyny in it? You don't get that it comes from the idea that marriage was the transfer of property from one man to another? Asking the bride's parents may ameliorate this slightly but the fundamental is the same; the bride is the passive partner. You must be able to see how crass and unpleasant that is.
And what, by the way, would you do if the bride's father or mother said no?

The Euph of today.

Like your style

And what, by the way, would you do if the bride's father or mother said no?

That's what I've always wondered*

"Sorry love, it's over, your old fella said I can't marry you. I'll get me coat"

*not that I'm getting married anytime soon...

Would it help if I put the BBQ swan in a bap?

Yes. Thanks.

Eloped.

Romantic, innit.

My parents did that. Neither other-side approved. Tough shit.

My wife didnt ask my mums permission when she asked me to marry her.

^She didn't ask, she simply assumed ownership.

My parents did that. Neither other-side approved. Tough shit.

I like the idea, or a wedding without family, can't stand families

Am I the only one who nearly vomited when the subject of Diana's engagement ring was mentioned?

i just nearly vomited as i appear to be developing a dependence on milka and cannot go to a tesco without buying a bar and consuming it all at once.

If you lived here, that would be newsworthy.

Fucking calm down. Most people do it out a general respect for the family of the bride that has nothing to do with sexism. The idea that it's the father that is asked is just a hangover of tradition. The tradition of consulting the family is a good one in my opinion. To assume that everyone who "pays lip service to it" is an obnoxious sexist is ridiculous and egocentric.

I agree with you.. I think it's a nice tradition.

i just nearly vomited as i appear to be developing a dependence on milka and cannot go to a tesco without buying a bar and consuming it all at once.

milka?

i just nearly vomited as i appear to be developing a dependence on milka

I read that as Mika and nearly choked

Comments on the BBS site are actually quite encouraging
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/haveyoursay/2010/11/royal_wedding_your_reaction.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/16/guantanamo-uk-kenneth-clarke

Ministers and officials are planning a system whereby if intelligence material is relevant to a court case, it would be seen and heard in secret hearings and withheld from interested parties and their lawyers.

a court case where evidence is withheld from the defandant? fuck this shit country.

I agree with you.. I think it's a nice tradition.

Yes that lovely tradition of women being property. It's so nice and fluffy.

Not again...

What a fucking joke, seriously.

The thing which pissed me off is that the parents have to pay for the court fines but the bloke in prison doesn't because he has no income.

Why are the parents suing him. Seems a bit pointless. cash won't bring their son back.

The bloke is clearly a cunt though.

Why are the parents suing him. Seems a bit pointless. cash won't bring their son back.

The bloke is clearly a cunt though.

No, you've misread.

The horrible fucker is suing the parents.

He reckons that the kid died because he wasn't wearing a helmet.

not because he ran him over at eighty miles an hour.

He's claiming the kids death is putting him off his Coco Pops or something.

What a cunt.

Him suing them is a counter claim because they are suing him for the same thing as well as putting him in jail. He's still a cunt though.

This could all be cleared up by the driver physically demonstrating that a polystyrene cycle helmet will protect him, while be hit by a speeding car.

'Turn around, touch the ground, bagsies test driver!'

I've contemplated whether or not i'd' go though with the antequated ritual of asking the bride's father if I was going to propose... and I've come to the conclusion that I would.

If only because my GF's family are quite traditional and I think that by respecting their hopes rather than expectations on the matter it would a mean a great deal to her father, but probably even more to her mother. I think it sends the signal that you're willing to compromise your own preferences (value/beliefs are far too strong to use in relation to this subject I think) in order to respect your soon-to-be family's preferences or traditions. And I think that in doing so, that gives a level of comfort to her parents. It's sends a signal that you're willing to do the right thing for her and the wider family even if it's not necessarily something that you would ordinarily consider important... or even slightly distasteful.

Tell what does suck total balls though. Wedding speeches. Why we still stick to the tradition that no women speak at a wedding? You get the father of the bride, the groom and the (ho fucking ho) best man. The fucking bride doesn't even get to say anything! She just sits there like a passive victim while the groom's idiot friend drones on about the time he got so drunk blah blah blah. Now THAT is a stupid, out-dated frankly pretty offensive tradition. If I ever get married I will make absolutely sure that the bride's mother has as much opportunity to speak as the father and that unfortunate bride (god help her) gets as much airtime as she wants.