Marriage has been an important aspect across the world for centuries. Marriage has been important to society for a variety of reasons. Most people around the world believe that the traditional family, consisting of a father, mother and children, are the basic elements of society. Children learn to become citizens, they learn about relationships, what is expected of them in society and how parents should behave. The traditional idea of ​​marriage is basically that of a man and a woman in a monogamous, lifelong relationship. Marriages in Western culture are usually based on love and romance, but there is debate as to whether love marriages are better than arranged marriages. In other cultures other than the Western one, arranged marriage is the norm in society. India is well known for arranged marriages for young adults in their teens, particularly for rich and powerful Indian families. The family believes that their child and the suitable spouse they have chosen for their child should belong to the same social class and be well educated before entering into the arranged marriage. The United States is known as a country of freedom and free speech. The United States believes that we should marry whoever we want to marry, but is this true in the land of the free? There are no laws that say you have to marry a certain person who is not of your choice, but we still don't have families and societies with which to expect. Many people in Western culture are concerned with how people perceive them, which is why finding a suitable mate is a problem if your family and society do not approve of your decision. In many societies, the family believes that marriage is too important to be left to the whims of the young. Even in western culture,......middle of paper......we is also important in India because when a couple gets married. Having a spouse with a different religion and belief can destroy families' reputations. When weddings are planned, both Western and Indian cultures are somewhat different, however in some cases they are very similar. To involve the entire family in the wedding, both cultures organize proposals. They also arrange the proposal so that the couple can get family approval to determine whether they think you and your partner are compatible for marriage. Works CitedMyers, Jane B. Madathil, JayamalaTingle, Lynne R. 2005. “Marriage Satisfaction and Wellness in India and the United States: A Preliminary Comparison of Arranged Marriages and Choice Marriages.” Journal of Consulting and Development 83, no. 2: 183-190. Teacher Reference Center, EBSCOhost (accessed June 22, 2011).