If you have a serious boyfriend, then meeting his parents for the first time can be hugely stressful. After all, this meeting marks an important milestone in your relationship that signifies just how much you mean to him, and is the first step on the journey from “girlfriend” to “wife”.
If you are going in for an arranged marriage, then chances are that your future in laws will meet you first even before introducing you to their son. In such a situation, making a good first impression becomes even more important, since he is hardly likely to even get to meet you unless his parents approve first.
Regardless of whether it is a love marriage or an arranged one, winning the approval of your in laws is of the paramount importance. Given how important the first meeting with his parents is, it is very natural for you to feel nervous and self conscious before the first meeting. If you follow the advice laid out in this article, I guarantee that you will not have any trouble in bringing them around!
Get some background information
In case you are meeting your boyfriend’s parents for the first time, then he would surely have mentioned a little bit about them first – their occupations, if any, educational details, etc. Try to remember all that he has ever told you about his family background in general, and do a little research so that you have some ready made topics for conversation.
In case it is an arranged marriage, you will likely have a mutual acquaintance also present at the first meeting with his parents. So ask your mutual friends for details about his family background, and be sure to go through his profile on the matrimonial sites.
Dress appropriately
As the old saying goes, “Clothes make the man”. That saying holds doubly true for brides to be. Wear clothes that you feel comfortable in. if you are not in the habit of wearing a sari, then don’t do so for this first meeting since you would keep fidgeting with your clothes. Try wearing a nice suit instead.
Get them a gift
Everyone loves receiving gifts, and you would be starting the meeting on a happy note if you got your would be in laws a gift. Even something simple like a box of sweets or a bouquet of flowers can lighten the mood and break the ice. Just don’t go overboard and get them something super expensive, or they might think that you are trying to buy their affection.
Be ready to answer lots of questions
Your future husband’s questions will naturally have a lot of questions about you. Some of them may seem intrusive, but try to understand that they naturally curious about the newest member of the family and want to get to know you better. You can expect some basic questions about where you work or about your college and schooling, and also about your plans for the future.
Can you think of any other faux pas that a good daughter in law to be should not commit?
