First of all, methinks Johanna needs more SLEEP! Your post had me LOL!

Donna, I have thought about his point of view a bit more since my post and I've realized some things. What really sparked these thoughts for him was probably a family wedding this Thanksgiving weekend, and so these thoughts were not a reflection on my "readiness for marriage" but rather a reflection of his current state of mind. I'm the youngest daughter as well as the youngest child, so he is probably extra protective of me. Thanks for reminding me to think about what he is going through as well.

From his point of view, the concern that the husband-to-be will fail to "ask for my hand" is quite legitimate. My sister, his only other daughter, has been married twice now and neither man asked my parents “for her hand.” My father is an Episcopalian priest and has officiated at many weddings. He tells me he has often discovered that the bride's parents were not "asked for her hand" and this "disappoints him." However, you can be sure that my brothers have (in one case) or will (in the other case) make this gesture to their fiancee's parents. (Guess they had the serious marriage talk at some point too...) I would have thought, like some of you, that this would be fairly commonplace procedure, but he has reasons to believe otherwise.

I enjoyed reading about others thoughts on this topic. Thank you all for sharing.