Or was it given as a spur of the moment gesture after a good night out? Was it delivered with romantic words either from the man’s heart, or remembered from a love poem? Or was it more of a slurred just audible whisper before the wine took over and he fell asleep on the sofa? For the couple, the marriage proposal is the start of the wedding. Personalized books and photo frames are also great marriage gifts that will be remembered for a lifetime. These can capture those perfect moments to be cherished over time. Making a wedding scrapbook is also an attractive gift, a chance to highlight the important moments in the couple’s life. You can decorate it with some personalized details, or provide them with a kit to make their own. A Venerable Tradition: The History of Marriage The history of marriage has its origins as least as far back as antiquity and evidence of marriage traditions and ceremonies have existed among people of almost all cultures. While today when we think of marriage our thoughts turn to notions of love and romance, this has not always been the case. Perhaps your partner is saying that he doesn’t want to go to the dinner party your great aunt is holding – and your friends will tell you that they always thought he was unsociable, that he’s being unreasonable, that men just don’t get the family thing and so on. Don’t listen to marriage advice like this because the people giving it only know about this dinner party – they don’t know about the other events your family has had that he’s attended, they don’t know that he has a prior engagement for the same night that you agreed to weeks before, or that your great aunt refuses to talk to him on account of the fact she overheard him tell someone years ago that he thought she boiled her vegetables to extinction. The ketubah is a document that sets out the basic moral, financial, and conjugal responsibilities that a husband has toward his wife. It is designed to protect the rights of the woman during her marriage and in the event that she is widowed or divorced at some point in time. The document, which is written in the ancient language of Aramic, is signed by the groom in front of two witnesses and given to the bride as part of the wedding ceremony. If they are not comfortable around adults, this can be a cause for concern. Sibling rivalry can also cause daily disruptions, and all arguments and matters need to be resolved maturely and sensibly. Making sure the kids have a healthy home environment to grow and play in is vital. They need to feel secure when everything else around them feels so new and different.