Why Do We Pay Bride Price?

A bride price, also known as lobola, is a symbolic act where the groom’s family presents money or cows to the bride’s family as a gesture of his willingness to marry her. This payment is seen as a necessary part of upholding culture and is often seen as compensation made by the groom’s family for the loss of a productive member of the household. In many African societies, bride price payments are a form of cultural formality to show that the lady being given away by her family in marriage is now owned by the man marrying her.

In ancient Greece, the usual practice was to give a bride price, and it was not exchanged until the late classical period (5th century BC). At that time, a husband had certain property rights to his wife’s dowry. The bride might bring her own property to the marriage. If the bride-price is received and kept by the bride’s family, women are more likely to be productive in a given marriage.

In Nigeria, there is an official maximum rate for a bride price of 50,000 West African Francs (about $83/£54), but many pay much more than this. The price is often agreed between families but is seen as a symbolic act. The Kenyan constitution outlaws the obligation to pay the bride price, but it is widely accepted that it is a form of traditional/cultural formality.

The bride price is an official custom that expresses the love a husband has for his wife and symbolizes a reward and honor for the parents of the wife. Without payment of the bride price, marriages are not recognized. The payment of bridewealth is most often a matter of social and symbolic as well as economic reciprocity, being part of a long series of exchanges between the couple.

What is the purpose of a dowry?

In many societies, brides’ families give money to grooms’ families as a way of saying thank you for the groom’s expenses. These exchanges are not just about money. They also help the families get to know each other better. In medieval and Renaissance Europe, the dowry was used to make women more desirable for marriage, to build the power and wealth of great families, and to determine the policies of states. The practice of dowries died out in Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. In some places, dowries became more popular at the end of the 20th century, even when governments tried to stop them. In South Asia, parents of the groom sometimes demand compensation for their sons’ education and future earnings, which the bride would share.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was last updated by Adam Augustyn.

What culture is the bride price?

In African and Asian cultures, the bride price is money or materials given by the groom’s family to the bride’s family. The practice differs across different regions.

What is the importance of paying bride wealth?

Bridewealth, payment made by a groom or his kin to the kin of the bride in order to ratify a marriage. In such cultures, a marriage is not reckoned to have ended until the return of bridewealth has been acknowledged, signifying divorce.

The payment of bridewealth is most often a matter of social and symbolic as well as economic reciprocity, being part of a long series of exchanges between the two intermarrying families. It consolidates friendly relations between them, provides a material pledge that the woman and her children will be well treated, symbolizes her worth to the community, and provides a level of compensation to her natal family for the loss of her labour and company. Bridewealth is often one part of a reciprocal exchange, in which case it is accompanied by the provision of a dowry—a payment presented by the brides family to that of the groom.

Bridewealth may consist of money or goods, and it may be paid in one sum or in installments over a period of time. The goods transferred may include a diverse array of items such as livestock, bolts of cloth, drink, food, traditional weapons (such as spears), and vehicles. When the exchange entails the provision of labour to the brides family, it is known as bride service.

Why is it tradition for the bride to pay for the wedding?

Who usually pays for the wedding? The bride’s family usually paid for most wedding costs, including the wedding planner, invitations, dress, ceremony, reception, flowers, photography, and music. “It’s harder to think about this now, and I am a feminist, but historically it has to do with the ancient practice of a bride’s family giving a dowry to the groom,” Post says.

The brides parents also hosted the engagement party, while some bridesmaids paid for the bridal shower. (Or anyone, really, besides the couple.) The groom’s family paid for the rehearsal dinner, honeymoon, wedding day transportation, and officiant. The groom paid for the bride’s engagement ring, wedding ring, and gifts for the groomsmen. The groom’s family often pays for the reception alcohol. But remember this from Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette Guide: “Traditions make weddings special, so a spending plan should help these traditions, not be a burden.”

The groom’s wedding ring; bridesmaids’ lunch or party; accommodations for the bridal party (if a bridesmaid is coming from out of town); wedding party gifts.

Do people still pay the bride price?

Asiaedit. Western Asiaedit. Assyrians, who are indigenous people of Western Asia, commonly practice the bride price (niqdawhat language is this?) custom. The tradition would involve the bridegrooms family paying to the father of the bride. The amount of money of the niqda is reached by negotiation between groups of people from both families. The social state of the grooms family influences the amount of the bridewealth that ought to be paid. When the matter is settled to the contentment of both menages, the grooms father may kiss the hand of the brides father to express his chivalrous regard and gratitude. These situations are usually filmed and incorporated within the wedding video. Folk music and dancing is accompanied after the payment is done, which usually happens on the doorstep, before the bride leaves her home with her escort (usually a male family member who would then walk her into the church).13 It is still practised by Muslims in the region and is called Mahr. *Central Asiaedit. In many parts of Central Asia nowadays, bride price is mostly symbolic. Various names for it in Central Asia include Kazakh: қалыңмал qaləɴmal, Kyrgyz: калың qɑlɯ́ŋ, Uzbek: qalin qalɨn, and Russian: калым kɐˈɫɨm. It is also common in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.14 The price may range from a small sum of money or a single piece of livestock to what amounts to a herd of livestock, depending on local traditions and the expectations and agreements of the families involved.15 The tradition is upheld in Afghanistan. A dark distortion of it involved a 6-year-old daughter of an Afghan refugee from Helmand Province in a Kabul refugee camp, who was to be married to the son of the money lender who provided with the girls father $2500 so the man could pay medical bills. According to anthropologist Deniz Kandiyoti, the practice increased after the fall of the Taliban.16 *Thailandedit. In Thailand, bride price—sin sod17 (Thai: สินสอด, pronounced sĭn sòt and often erroneously referred to by the English term dowry) is common in both Thai-Thai and Thai-foreign marriages. The bride price may range from nothing—if the woman is divorced, has a child fathered by another man, or is widely known to have had premarital relations with men—to tens of millions of Thai baht (US$300,000 or ~9,567,757 THB) for a woman of high social standing, a beauty queen, or a highly educated woman. The bride price in Thailand is paid at the engagement ceremony, and consists of three elements: cash, Thai (96.5 percent pure) gold, and the more recent Western tradition of a diamond ring. The most commonly stated rationale for the bride price in Thailand is that it allows the groom to demonstrate that he has enough financial resources to support the bride (and possibly her family) after the wedding. In many cases, especially when the amount is large, the parents of a Thai bride will return all or part of the bride price to the couple in the form of a wedding gift following the engagement ceremony. *It is also practised by Muslims in Thailand and is called Mahr. *Kachinedit. In Kachin society they have the system of Mayu and Dama. Mayu means a group of people who give woman and Dama means a group of people who take woman. The “bride wealth” system is extremely important for kinship system in Kachin society and has been used for centuries. The purpose of giving bride wealth is to honor the wife giver Mayu and to create a strong relationship. The exact details of the “bride wealth” system vary by time and place. In Kachin society, bride wealth is required to be given by wife taker “Dama” to wife giver “Mayu.” Kachin ancestors thought that if wife takers “Dama” gave a large bride price to wife giver “Mayu”; it meant that they honored the bride and her family, and no one would look down on the groom and bride.18 *Chinaedit. In traditional Chinese culture, an auspicious date is selected to ti qin (simplified Chinese: 提亲; traditional Chinese: 提親; lit. propose marriage), where both families will meet to discuss the amount of the bride price (聘金; pìn jīn) demanded, among other things. Several weeks before the actual wedding, the ritual of guo da li (过大礼; 過大禮; going through the great ceremony) takes place (on an auspicious date). The groom and a matchmaker will visit the brides family bearing gifts like wedding cakes, sweetmeats and jewelry, as well as the bride price. On the actual wedding day, the brides family will return a portion of the bride price (sometimes in the form of dowry) and a set of gifts as a goodwill gesture. *Bride prices varies by eras, for instance during the Republican era, bride prices were usually in a form of a sack of rice or wheat. However bride prices were sent in secret during the Cultural Revolution following a public discouragement on bride price, which was seen as a feudalist legacy.19 Since Dengs reform, bride prices vary from RMB1,000,000 in famously money-centric2021 Shanghai2223 to as little as RMB10,000.2425 A house is often required along with the bride price26 (an apartment is acceptable, but rentals are not27) and a car under both or only the brides name,2325 neither of which are counted toward the bride price itself. In some regions, the brides family may demand other kinds of gifts,28 none counted toward the bride price itself. May 18 is a particularly auspicious day on which to pay the bride price and marry as its Chinese wording is phonetically similar to I will get rich.22 Bride prices are rising quickly2729 in China 22 largely without documentation but a definite verbal and cultural understanding of where bride prices are today. Gender inequality in China has increased competition for ever higher bride prices.30 Financial distress is an unacceptable and ignored justification for not paying the bride price. If the grooms side cannot agree or pay, they or simply the groom himself must still pay a bride price 31 thus borrowing from relatives is a popular if not required option to save face. Inability to pay is cause for preventing a marriage which either side can equally recommend. Privately, families need bride prices due to Chinas lack of a social security net citation needed and a one child policy which leaves parents with neither retirement funding nor caretaking if their only child is taken away32 as brides typically move into the grooms residence upon marrying33 as well as testing the grooms ability to marry by paying cash 33 and emotionally giving up his resources to the bride.34 Publicly, families cite bride price as insurance in case the man abandons or divorces the wife34 and that the bride price creates goodwill between families. The grooms side should pay more than what the brides side has demanded35 to save face.3036 Amounts preferably follow the usual red envelope conventions though the sum is far more important. Attempts to tackle skyrocketing bride prices were also done by the Ministry of Civil Affairs by implementing marriage reforms, with involves capping the maximum amount of bride price which was implemented by trial in several regions, notably Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shenyang,37 apart from the ruling from the Supreme Peoples Court dated 17 January, 2024 regarding the prohibition of demanding property under the name of marriage, which includes bride price that allows cases for reimbursement.38 *Changing patterns in the betrothal and marriage process in some rural villages of modern China can be represented as the following stages: 39 *Ti qin 提亲, propose a marriage;; He tian ming 和天命, Accord with Heavens mandate (i.e. find a ritually auspicious day);; Jian mian 见面, looking in the face, i.e. meeting;; Ding hun 订婚, being betrothed;; Yao ri zi 要日子, asking the wifegivers the date of the wedding; and; Jie xin ren 接新人, transferring the bride.; *It is also practised by Muslims known as Uyghurs in Xinjiang and is called Mahr.citation needed *Indian subcontinentedit. It is still practised by Muslims in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and is called Mahr. In North East India, notably in Assam (the indigenous Assamese ethnic groups) an amount or token of bride price was and is still given in various forms. In some parts of Indian state of Gujarat, bride price is rather prevalent, resulting from the fact that there are lesser number of girls than boys in the society.4041 *Myanmaredit. It is still practised by Muslims, known as Rohingyas in Myanmar, especially in Rakhine State and is called Mahr. *^ Dalton, George. Brief Communications: Bridewealth vs. Brideprice. American Anthropologist. 68: 732–737. doi:10.1525/aa.1966.68.3.02a00070.; ^ Bride Price: My husband cant afford me. BBC News. 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2023-07-28.; ^ Graeber, David. Debt: The First 5,000 Years. Melville House. pp.131–132. ISBN978-1-933633-86-2.; ^ The Oxford Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology, Edited by Robin Dunbar and Louise Barret, Oxford University Press, 2007, Chapter 26, The evolutionary ecology of family size.; ^ The Code of Hammurabi. Translated by L. W. King. 1915. Archived from the original on 2010-10-20. See Laws 163 and 164; ^ The Jewish Way in Love & Marriage, Rabbi Maurice Lamm, Harper & Row, 1980, Chapter 15; ^ a b c d e f Snodgrass, A.M.. Archaeology and the Emergence of Greece. Cornell University Press.; ^ Iliad 9.146; ^ Odyssey 15.367.; ^ Odyssey 11.287–297 and 15.231–238. The two versions vary, but the bride price demanded takes the form of a mythological test, labor, or ordeal; William G. Thalman, The Swineherd and the Bow: Representations of Class in the Odyssey (Cornell University Press, 1998), p. 157f.; ^ Grosz-Ngaté, Maria Luise; Hanson, John H.; OMeara, Patrick, eds. (2014-04-18). Africa (Fourthed.). Bloomington. ISBN9780253013026. 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Retrieved 12 March 2016.; ^ Num Wawn Num La Shaman Ga hte Htinggaw Mying Gindai,2010, Mougaung Baptist Church; ^ 传统农业地区的婚姻特征 (PDF). 传统农业地区的婚姻特征.; ^ French, Howard W. (2006-01-24). In a Richer China, Billionaires Put Money on Marriage. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-05-05. Retrieved 2014-04-16.; ^ French, Howard W. (2006-01-23). Rich guy seeks girl, must be virgin: Read this ad. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2021-01-19. Retrieved 2014-04-16.; ^ a b c Faison, Seth (1996-05-22). Shanghai Journal;Its a Lucky Day in May, and Here Come the Brides. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2014-04-18. Retrieved 2014-04-16.; ^ a b Larmer, Brook (2013-03-09). In a Changing China, New Matchmaking Markets. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2015-03-24. Retrieved 2014-04-16.; ^ 全国聘礼地图：山东3斤百元人民币 重庆0元(图). 2013-06-05. Archived from the original on 2014-04-17. Retrieved 2014-04-16.; ^ a b The Price of Marriage in China: Infographic Shows Astounding Data. 2013-06-11. Archived from the original on 2014-04-17. Retrieved 2014-04-16.; ^ Gwynn Guilford, Ritchie King & Herman Wong (June 9, 2013). Forget dowries: Chinese men have to pay up to US$24,000 to get a bride. Archived from the original on April 18, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.; ^ a b Lim, Louisa (April 23, 2013). For Chinese Women, Marriage Depends On Right Bride Price. NPR.org. Archived from the original on April 21, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.; ^ Trivedi, Anjani (June 10, 2013). The Steep Price for a Chinese Bride. Time. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.; ^ 全国聘礼地图. 2013-06-06. Archived from the original on 2014-04-19. Retrieved 2014-04-16.; ^ a b Moore, Malcolm (January 4, 2013). Chinas brides go for gold as their dowries get bigger and bigger. Archived from the original on April 10, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.; ^ I have a solution. 2012-03-25. Archived from the original on 2016-11-30. Retrieved 2014-04-16.; ^ Lisa Mahapatra & Sophie Song (June 6, 2013). A Map Of Chinas Bride Price Distribution: Shanghai Tops The List At One Million Yuan And Chongqing The Only City Where Love Is Free. International Business Times. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.; ^ a b Roberts, Marcus (June 12, 2013). Chinese Bride Price. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2014.; ^ a b Bride Price (聘金): How Much To Give?. Archived from the original on 2014-04-19. Retrieved 2014-04-17.; ^ Chinese Wedding Traditions: The Bride Price. August 26, 2012. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.; ^ How Much Are You Worth, Chinese Bride-to-Be?. April 24, 2013. Archived from the original on March 26, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.; ^ 多地列入全国婚俗改革试验区，婚俗改革改的是什么？ – 青岛新闻网. news.qingdaonews.com. 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What did Jesus pay the bride price to?

Jesus paid the bride price with the cross, and we received the gift of eternal life.

Is it right for a woman to pay her bride price?

A businessman, Mr. Debo Akanni, said it was fine for the bride to help the groom pay the bride price because they are one. He said: If a man asks for your hand in marriage and can’t afford the bride price, it’s expected that the wife helps him. They’re both involved. Some women even help with the wedding to make it a success, but they won’t say so. I’ve been to a wedding where the bride paid for everything, including her fiancé’s clothes and spending money. They are happy now. What if she refused to help to follow customs and traditions? The bride should help anyway she can. “It’s their day,” he said. Feyikemi Itunu, a bride-to-be, advised brides to help their grooms. She said that a bride who doesn’t help her groom pay the bride price won’t help him financially when they marry. She said: “I’m getting married soon. It’s not easy preparing for a wedding in this economy. For a wedding to succeed, the bride and groom must support each other. If helping my fiancé pay the bride price won’t hurt the wedding, I’ll do it and keep it secret. “No matter how hard couples try, they can’t please everyone.”

Why does the wife’s family pay the dowry?

Dowry: Money or goods given to a bride by her family. In the Roman Empire, the bride’s family gave money to the groom or his family to help pay for the bride’s living expenses. In some cultures, the groom gives a gift to the bride or her family on marriage. In others, the bride gives a gift to the groom or his family. The dowry can be a gift to the in-laws or insurance for the bride. It’s something she can keep if she gets divorced. Other terms for this are “bride price” or “bridewealth.” Over time, some families used the dowry system to exploit others. What was meant to be a gift and promise of security soon became a demand that resulted in broken engagements, divorce, violence, and even death. These countries made dowries illegal. Today, the dowry is more informal and casual. It is especially common among members of the African and South Asian diasporas. It’s a way to honor a couple’s culture.

What is the dowry of virgins?

The guilty man must pay the virgin the dowry of virgins. The amount is not given here, but in Deuteronomy 22:29 we are told it is fifty shekels of silver, a very large amount in those days. The dowry must be paid even if he doesn’t marry her. Seduction was too costly to be common in those days. The girl’s father decided whether or not she would marry. If the father refused the man as a son-in-law, the dowry still went to the girl. The girl went into her marriage with a dowry. This law puts the father first. It was his job to look after his daughter and make sure she got a good marriage.

What is the purpose of a bride price money paid to the bride’s family?

The authors interviewed men and women in the DRC and found that bride price is still important for marriages. For men and women, bride price shows respect for the wife. One Congolese woman said, “Bride price is important for all African women, but especially for Congolese women. It shows a husband’s love for his wife.” For the wife’s parents, the bride price is a reward and an honor. Without the bride price, the marriage isn’t recognized. Some women think it’s better to live with a friend than a man who doesn’t pay the bride price. A Congolese man said that the bride price is: The bride price is how a man shows his wife respect. However, he says the bride price also ensures the woman’s family can’t take her back if there’s a dispute. These interviews show that although the bride price shows a man’s commitment to his wife, it can also make it harder for a woman to leave an unhappy marriage.

3. Description of the data and sources. 3.1 How the data was collected. The surveys were done in Kananga, DRC between June and October 2015. Kananga is a city of over one million people and the capital of Kasai Central province. The most populous ethnic group in the city is the Luluwa, but there are many others. Figure 6.2 is a map of the DRC with Kananga marked by a large dot and the villages of the sample’s participants marked by smaller black dots.

Should a woman pay for her own wedding?

The bride. If you follow tradition, the bride pays for the groom’s wedding band and wedding gifts for her bridesmaids. However, many wedding costs are shared between the bride and her family. In today’s world, who pays for what at a wedding is unclear. There is no official rule about how the wedding budget is split, but this wasn’t always the case. In the past, the bride’s family paid most of the costs, but this is no longer common. Couples are getting married later in life, so they often have established careers and can pay for some—if not all—of the celebration. Also, the traditional division doesn’t represent all couples today and doesn’t include LGBTQIA couples. The most common scenario is one of three: Couples can ask their families to split the bill, contribute money to the event, or pay for it themselves. When you’re ready to plan, first decide how much your wedding will cost and how much your family will contribute. Building a wedding budget is hard, but it’s also important. Alicia Fritz, the owner of A Day in May Events, says that taking the time to do it early on can help. Budget talks should start at the same time as guest lists and venue talks. Set a budget, she advises. Don’t try to save money on things you know you’ll spend more on later. Alicia Fritz is the owner of A Day in May Events, a wedding and event planning firm based in Traverse City, Michigan.

Is it biblical to pay bride price?

Read the verses below. Exodus 22:16-17: If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and has sex with her, he must pay the bride price and marry her. If her father won’t give her to him, he must pay the bride-price. Apostle Israel Blessing Anthony, our IT specialist in Ghana, asked me to write this article based on a controversial question he posted on our university forum. I wrote this article to help people understand theological issues. Here is a unique biblical view about dowry. I have researched the topic of dowry payment and found many Christians, search engines, websites, and theologians who believe it is not biblical.