You might be shocked by this, as the concept of mail-order brides is much older than some people might think. According to dating experts, people started using this marriage method in the 17th century as a way of populating certain US colonies. Over time, the concept went global, encompassing suitors and brides from numerous countries.
When we talk about mail-order brides, the first thing that comes to mind is dazzling young girls who hook up with old, rich dudes. However, the dating pool is much more egalitarian than that. For example, you have lots of guys that offer only average wages and numerous girls in their thirties with several children in tow.
In this article provided by BridesUniverse mail order bride website, we’ll explain the concept of mail-order brides, how it all started, and what makes these women so appealing.
History of Mail-Order Brides
The term mail-order bride was introduced several centuries ago, in the 1620s to be exact. The Virginia Company was looking for a way to motivate the settlers and deter them from marrying local Native Americans. The solution they thought of was importing young women from Europe, at around 20 years of age, who locals would marry.
As compensation, the settlers would give the company their tobacco, which is why the first mail-order brides were also referred to as tobacco brides. French and Portugal colonies followed a similar pattern in the upcoming decades, and the strategy soon became commonplace.
Modern Mail-Order Brides
Before the Internet, specialized brokers would introduce a bachelor to his foreign wife. They used catalogs where they listed the available ladies, together with some of their basic info. Most of these mail-order wives came from Eastern Europe, Southeast and East Asia, and Latin America.
With digitalization, the dating concept somewhat changed. Nowadays, matchmaking is done exclusively through specialized online sites that pair up Western men with girls from previously mentioned regions. All participants leave their details and photos on the platform, after which they can start communicating with the people they like.
It’s worth mentioning that modern mail-order dating doesn’t rely on any transaction. Yes, you need to pay a fee for using these platforms, but the girls aren’t necessarily sold. Instead, they come to the website out of their own free will, as they’re looking to find husbands from rich countries.
Why Do Women Become Mail-Order Brides?
While the process carries certain risks, girls generally don’t mind “offering” themselves in such a manner. Basically, the incentives are too good for them to miss such a chance. With that being said, these are the main reasons why some ladies look for foreign husbands on the Internet:
- The main reason why women accept this kind of proposal is so they can escape their financial issues. Marrying rich guys from the US, Canada, or Australia can solve a lot of issues for ladies brought up in poverty
- Some women simply want to change countries because they feel oppressed. For example, there might be a discrepancy between male and female rights, or the country might be under a dictatorship
- Mail-order brides might look outward because of the limited dating pool in their country or region. This is especially noticeable among women living in rural areas or countries with small population
- Foreign men might look exotic to certain women. The best examples of this are Asian women who are enamored with bulky guys with light pigmentation. So, not only can they solve financial issues, but they can also hook up with a guy that’s attractive to them
- Some ladies decide on this choice because they have had one or several divorces. After all that negative experience, they may think that foreigners could provide more stability
Why Do Men Seek Out Mail-Order Brides?
Basically, Western guys can “exchange” their money for the youth and beauty of these women. As such, they can gain much more and better opportunities than they would in their home country. For them, the incentives of hooking up with foreign ladies are much more straightforward:
- The most common reason why men resort to this method is because they can’t find girls in their own area. Many of them aren’t that attractive or might not have enough money. Nevertheless, they might be rich enough for ladies from poor countries who are looking for any type of solution for their finances
- Another common reason for hooking up with foreigners is because guys are looking for conservative women. As the dating crisis in America becomes worse and worse, many men just want to find a stable partner and get kids
- Lastly, we need to mention that many of these women are a better catch than the domestic ladies. Perhaps the best examples are Russians and Ukrainians, who are real lookers. These girls can also be very educated or can serve as exotic eye candies
What Does the Marriage Process Look Like?
If you’re interested in getting a mail-order bride from an exotic country, here’s the list of steps you’ll have to complete:
- Decide on the region you want to focus on
- Use Google to learn more about for-marriage dating sites. Keep in mind that some of them are littered with bots and will charge you for every message, so be careful
- Create an extensive profile. Mention what you’re looking for from a wife, talk about children, and list your profession (not necessarily how much money you make)
- After finding a few suitable ladies, start chatting them up. Don’t forget to behave like a gentleman because money alone won’t seal the deal
- The next step of the process is meeting the lady you like. It’s customary for a husband to visit the country and spend several weeks getting to know each other. Remember it might take several visits for you to create a bond
- You can organize the wedding in her or your country; just make sure everyone’s invited
- The last part is getting a permanent visa. They cost more than a thousand dollars, which is another expense you need to consider
Although this short breakdown is simplified, it explains, in a nutshell, everything you need to go through to marry a foreign mail-order bride.