Relationships, Marriage, & Family Life in Venezuela
WARNING: Violence is common in Venezeula, please read this travel warning before going!
Dating in Venezuela is fairly liberal, but generally speaking the man is expected to do all the work and the woman is expected to play hard to get. Most people meet each other on the streets, in restaurants, bars, etc. In other words the people are social and are not afraid to meet new people and go on a date. Once that initial conversation is done the man is expected to call and text the woman countless times until she finally calls him back. From here dating tends to be casual, until people are ready to settle down and find the right person, which generally happens in the mid-20s for the Venezuelans, but can be younger or older.
Prior to marriage the future groom is expected to ask his girlfriend's father for permission to marry her. If granted the couple will have two ceremonies, first the legal or civil ceremony, which officially marries the couple; this is often small and only attended by close family, after which there is usually a small celebration. The second marriage is the church wedding and this is the one that holds much more cultural significance in the eyes of the Venezuelans. One important part of the ceremony is the coin exchange, during which the families of the bride and groom will exchange coins to symbolize prosperity and a great future. After the church ceremony there is generally a large celebration with family and friends; the celebration can go through the night and it is considered good luck for the wedding couple to sneak out of the party without saying goodbye.