History Main / MarryForLove

** Tywin Lannister married his cousin Joanna for love. Hypocritically, he wants his own children to marry for political advantage. Tywin also [[TheMourningAfter never remarried]]; those closest to him describe Joanna's death as his CynicismCatalyst.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' shows that even a ShotgunWedding doesn't preclude this, as Marge reveals in WholeEpisodeFlashback "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS3E12IMarriedMarge I Married Marge]]" that her SurprisePregnancy with Bart wasn't the reason she agreed to marry Homer. This realization gives Homer the motivation he needs to finally get hired by the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, enabling him to support his new family.

-->'''Xanatos:''' And now you know my one weakness.

* The marriage of Prince Harald of Norway to his commoner girlfriend Sonja was very controversial with the Norwegian government and Harald's conservative father Olav, who were of the opinion he ought to marry a woman of royal descent. Their courtship lasted for nine years until Harald made it clear that if he couldn't marry her, he wouldn't be getting married ''ever'' and faced with a potential succession crisis (Harald was an only child), Olav consented to the match. More than fifty years later, the now King Harald and Queen Sonja remain very HappilyMarried.

* The marriage of Prince Harald of Norway to his commoner girlfriend Sonja was very controversial with the Norwegian government and Harald's conservative father Olav, who were of the opinion he ought to marry a woman who was also of royal descent. Their courtship lasted for nine years until Harald made it clear that if he couldn't marry her, he wouldn't be getting married ''ever'', and faced with a potential succession crisis, Olav consented to the match. More than fifty years later, the now King Harald and Queen Sonja remain very HappilyMarried.

** In a flashback arc, it's revealed that [[GenkiGirl Masaki]] was originally adopted [[spoiler: into the Ishida family]] as part of the [[TheMatchmaker matriarch's plan]] to set up an ArrangedMarriage between Masaki and her son [[spoiler:[[TheStoic Ryuuken]]]]. A confession is made to the family's maid, [[YamatoNadeshiko Katagiri]], that the reason the ArrangedMarriage will never work as the matriarch hopes is that they will never be HappilyMarried and the best future [[spoiler: for the [[ArcherArchetype Quincies]]]] is to marry for love instead of blood purity or status. While it's clear that Masaki is unhappy with the situation, the twist is that the desire to marry for love is not her confession, [[spoiler: it's Ryuuken's. Eventually, the ArrangedMarriage falls through. Masaki and Isshin marry for love, and so do Ryuuken and Katagiri.]]

* Fox on ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}''. Xanatos, the richest ([[EvilIsSexy and probably most handsome]]) man in the world asks her to marry him, and her response is, "What about ... [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove love]]?" He responds with a fairly clinical evaluation of their mutual compatibility. Part of that episode was Xanatos learning he really did love Fox; he asks for Goliath's help on that basis.

* The marriage of Prince Harald of Norway to his commoner girlfriend Sonja was very controversial with the Norwegian government and Harald's conservative father Olav, who were of the opinion he ought to marry a woman who was also of royal descent. Their courtship lasted for nine years until Harald made it clear that if he couldn't marry her, he wouldn't be getting married ever, and faced with a potential succession crisis, Olav consented to the match. More than fifty years later, the now King Harald and Queen Sonja remain very HappilyMarried.

* Princess Jasmine in Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', quoted above.

* Don Bluth's ''WesternAnimation/{{Thumbelina|1994}}''.
* Prince Philip wants to do this in ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'', even though he's been betrothed to Princess Aurora since early childhood. Luckily for them, the peasant girl with whom he's fallen so passionately in love actually ''is'' Princess Aurora, and the result is a PerfectlyArrangedMarriage.

%%* ''Film/ThePrincessBride''
* Marrying for love is Jaya and Lalita's goal in ''Film/BrideAndPrejudice''.
* Referenced in ''Film/BendItLikeBeckham'' when Jess tells her teammates that her sister has a "love match" as opposed to an arranged marriage. The groom-to-be's parents still attempt to [[ParentalMarriageVeto call off the wedding]] but eventually relent after seeing how miserable the couple are apart.
* Georg von Trapp decides late into ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic'' that he can't marry the wealthy, sophisticated Baroness (who's of equal social standing to him) because he's in love with Maria, his children's governess.
* ''Film/StarTrek2009'': Sarek eventually reveals this is the reason he married Amanda Grayson, after insisting it was for mostly political reasons. The Prime timeline simply has him claim that "it seemed logical at the time", which is probably the closest to an on-screen declaration of love.

* Every Creator/JaneAusten heroine:
** Emma Woodhouse from ''Literature/{{Emma}}'' states that she will only marry for love.
--->'''Emma:''' My being charming, Harriet, is not quite enough to induce me to marry; I must find other people charming -- one other person at least. And I am not only not going to be married at present, but have very little intention of ever marrying at all. [...] I have none of the usual inducements of women to marry. Were I to fall in love, indeed, it would be a different thing! but I never have been in love; it is not my way or my nature, and I do not think I ever shall. And, without love, I am sure I should be a fool to change such a situation as mine. Fortune I do not want; employment I do not want; consequence I do not want: I believe few married women are half as much mistress of their husband's house, as I am of Hartfield; and never, never could I expect to be so truly beloved and important; so always first and always right in any man's eyes as I am in my father's.
** Elizabeth in ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudice'' says she won't marry anyone unless it's for love. This causes her to turn down two marriage proposals, one from a well-off (but insufferable) pastor and one from a filthy rich but incredibly snobby gentleman. [[spoiler: She eventually marries the rich guy anyway after a great deal of CharacterDevelopment on both their parts results in genuine love between them.]] Lizzie does have her doubts about holding out for love instead of accepting the overtures of the insufferable pastor and evinces some sympathy when her best friend snaps him up instead. This is worth noting because the novel came out only 200 years ago, showing [[NewerThanTheyThink just how recently]] the idea of marrying for love was still a risky venture.
** Catherine Morland of ''Literature/NorthangerAbbey'' quickly falls for Henry Tilney, whose family is much richer than hers. Although the Morlands are landed gentry and comfortably off, they aren't rich enough for ''General'' Tilney, and Henry openly defies his father in proposing to Catherine anyway. (That said, Catherine and Henry's great romance is gently mocked by the narrator as having no stronger a foundation than Henry being flattered by Catherine's obvious crush on him.)
** Anne Elliot of ''Literature/{{Persuasion}}'' realizes she can't even entertain the thought of marrying her rich cousin because she is in love with Captain Wentworth, and as far as she is concerned, whether they ever marry or not, she is forever separated from other men.
** ''Literature/MansfieldPark'':
*** Fanny Price in her first major act of independence and defiance refuses to marry the despicable Henry Crawford because she does not love him and knows what's BeneathTheMask. He is rich and charming, and everybody expects her to accept him.
*** Inverted by RomanticFalseLead Mary Crawford who has GoldDigger tendencies, despite being a wealthy heiress with a huge dowry. Mary genuinely falls in love with Edmund but refuses to marry him unless he's richer. He should abandon his dream of being a clergyman for some better profession (better in Mary's eyes). She later wishes his ill older brother dies so that he could get the family estate. That is about when Edmund truly sees her colours.
** ''Literature/SenseAndSensibility'':
*** The Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne lose their fortune on their father's death, which means that although they both are in love, their inability to bring any more material consideration to a marriage seriously hampers them. Willoughby, faced with a financial emergency, quickly abandons Marianne for a wealthy heiress who wants to get away from her guardians. Edward, meanwhile, is intended for a rich woman he's never even met and knows that his mother is likely to disinherit him if he chooses a woman who isn't fabulously wealthy (never mind a poor one like Elinor).
* In ''Literature/DeltoraQuest'', Lief states that "when the time comes, [he] will follow Adin's example and marry for love."

* In a book from ''Literature/TheRoyalDiaries'', Isabella I of Castile went behind her brother's back to marry the young, handsome, kind, and intelligent heir of Aragon after he stole her heart.

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'':
** Zigzagged by Aegon the Conqueror, who got his way by marrying ''[[{{Polyamory}} both]]'' women in question. Targaryen RoyalInbreeding customs prescribed that Aegon marry his older sister Visenya, but his younger sister Rhaenys was his preference. He married one for duty, the other for love.
** After the death of his first wife, Viserys I defied the suggestion for him to marry Laena Velaryon, and instead wedded Alicent Hightower, the daughter of his Hand. While Alicent was not a lowborn (the Hightowers were one of the oldest and richest houses in the Seven Kingdoms), the Velaryons were the Targaryens' traditional allies, and marrying Laena would preserve the stability of the realm in the long run, while the Hightowers were ambitious social climbers who had other ideas for the crown, to the detriment of Viserys' chosen heir and daughter by his first wife, Rhaenyra. Needless to say, [[CivilWar it didn't end well]].
** In contrast to her previous marriages to Ossifer Plumm and Ronnel Penrose, Elaena Targaryen's third marriage to Michael Manwoody was for love. She married him because of his passion for music, and when he died, she personally arranged for his effigy be made carrying a harp, instead of a sword and shield befitting a knight.
** Aegon V broke with the Targaryen dynastic tradition of BrotherSisterIncest and married for love. At the time, this was allowed because he was the ''thirteenth'' SpareToTheThrone; when he, the fourth son of a fourth son, somehow ended up with the crown, he was immediately dubbed "Aegon the Unlikely." Even worse, all three of his sons did the same, against his wishes. Crown Prince Duncan abdicated the throne to wed a commoner, Jenny of Oldstones; his youngest son Daeron died in battle, unwed, alongside his [[HoYay close personal friend]] Ser Jeremy Norridge; and the middle son, Jaehaerys, eloped with his beloved... his sister, Princess Shaera. And, just to add insult to injury, Jaehaerys didn't follow his father's example with his own children and forced his son [[TheCaligula Aerys II]] and daughter Rhaella to marry, to their great displeasure. Mad King Aerys's general unhappiness resulted in a civil war that set the stage for the ''Song of Ice and Fire'' series as a whole.
** Harshly deconstructed in the case of Robb Stark. The Young Wolf breaks off a politically important ArrangedMarriage when he falls for the FlorenceNightingaleEffect after he's wounded in battle. He hastily arranges for [[WhyWasteAWedding his uncle to marry his fiancée in his place]] in an effort to uphold the alliance... [[spoiler: but at the wedding feast, he, his mother, and many of his high command are murdered by their hosts, who took the snub as an excuse to change allegiance. This is the famous "Red Wedding" which you may have heard many readers and ''Series/GameOfThrones'' viewers lamenting recently.]]
** Tywin Lannister married his cousin Joanna for love. Hypocritically, he wants his own children to marry for political advantage. Tywin also [[TheMourningAfter never remarried]]; those closest to him describe Joanna's death as his CynicismCatalyst.
* In ''Literature/{{Hurog}}'', a surprising number (considering the setting, and the predominance of arranged marriages) of people marry for love, although none marry beneath their station. Ward gets to marry the noblewoman [[spoiler: Tisala]] whom he deeply admires, and who also likes him, his sister Ciarra marries one of her cousins, informing Ward (her eldest male relative) of the fact only after the engagement, and, surprisingly [[spoiler: Garranon, who was MistakenForGay by some because he was the king's concubine for the past fifteen years, loves his wife very much, and she him.]]
* An issue in the film and miniseries of TheFeastOfAllSaints. The patriarchs/matriarchs of both the wealthy white families and the Colored gentry insist on marriages/relationships based on status and wealth, not love. This leads to loveless marriages, cold and distant wives, and white men participating in plaçage as an escape.
* Most of Creator/GeorgetteHeyer's heroines will only marry for love. But even those who don't find a happily ever after somehow.
* Comes up in ''Literature/ABrothersPrice''. Jerin wants wives he can come to love instead of enduring. His family, fairly enlightened, lets men choose their new families and said men are happier for it. Ultimately his [[BigBrotherInstinct protective older sisters]] let him marry into the family containing the woman he loves (and he does grow to love his other wives as well).
* When Alaric in Literature/TheQuestOfTheUnaligned is informed that [[ArrangedMarriage he has to pick a bride from among the noble ladies of Caederan]], we get this great line "Alaric had always planned on getting married eventually, of course. But his criteria for potential spouses had always included things like being... someone he actually knew and liked, for starters."
* [[Literature/TommyAndTuppence Tommy and Tuppence Beresford]] ... notable in that Tuppence was of the practical order and fully intended to [[GoldDigger marry as rich as possible]] until [[spoiler: being faced with the opportunity to do so led her to realize that [[LoveEpiphany she had in fact loved Tommy all along]]]].

* ''Literature/WolfHall''
** Thomas Cromwell's daughter Anne asks him if she can choose whom she marries (having overheard a lot of talk about Henry VIII's woes in this matter). Cromwell says yes, mentally adding "within reason." He's relieved when she says she would choose to marry his ward Rafe, though she dies of illness soon after.
** After becoming well and truly fed up with being denigrated by her family and used as Henry's bedwarmer during Anne's pregnancy, Mary Boleyn marries the poor but kind knight William Stafford. She is banished from court as a result, but when she later writes to Cromwell asking for monetary help, she says she'd rather be begging her bread with William than a rich queen.
** Rafe secretly marries Helen Barre, a poor probably-a-widow Cromwell had hired into his household (she had previously been attracted to Cromwell, but he didn't notice), only revealing it when her pregnancy will start to show. Cromwell scolds him for marrying without any attention to practicality, but he comes around soon enough and talks Rafe's father round to it as well. (Rafe and Helen did remain married for the rest of their lives, but he had to get an Act of Parliament to legitimize their union and children when her husband reappeared ten years later.)
* In ''Literature/AChristmasCarol'', Scrooge asks Fred why he got married, and a bewildered Fred replies "Because I fell in love". Scrooge considers this to be the only thing more ridiculous than a merry Christmas.
* In ''[[Literature/PathsOfDarkness The Spine of the World]]'', this trope is played with. Meralda's lord catches sight of her and [[LoveAtFirstSight falls in love with her]], and sends his steward to propose to her. Meralda does ''not'' love him - she'd rather be with the local EmoTeen bard - but [[ArrangedMarriage her father gives her no choice in the matter]].
* In the LoveTriangle interpretation of the ''Literature/SongOfSongs'' from Literature/TheBible, the Shulamite is dealing with a RichSuitorPoorSuitor situation -- King Solomon being the rich suitor and a shepherd she loves as the poor suitor. Solomon does his best to woo her, but in the end, the Shulamite chooses the shepherd over Solomon, saying to the effect that all the money in the world wouldn't be enough to buy her love.
* ''Literature/HaniAndIshusGuideToFakeDating'': Nik, Ishu's sister, gets engaged to a British Indian man she meets while in London, without consulting her parents first. Their reaction is frosty, aided by the fact she leaves university too.
* In ''Literature/TriumphOfATsar'', Tsar Alexei II marries his [[ChildhoodFriendRomance childhood friend]], Princess Ileana of Romania, for love -- but it is also very much relevant that Ileana, as an Orthodox princess, is also a perfectly acceptable bride from a dynastic perspective.
* In ''Literature/SpinningSilver'', the Duke of Visnya married his first wife, Irina's mother, because he loved her. Irina, grown and with her mother long dead, is pretty sure that her dad must have been angry with himself for doing so because he brutally practical in all other respects and never takes a risk without being sure he's going to get something of good value in return. His second marriage was to a rich widow of equal social rank who gave him the male heirs he wanted, so he ignores the plain daughter of his first wife because she isn't of much practical use to him.
* ''Literature/TheSunneInSplendour'' portrays two cases of marrying for love based on real historic events. UsefulNotes/EdwardIV marries the commoner Elizabeth Woodville rather than a foreign princess and alienates his key allies. His youngest brother, [[UsefulNotes/RichardIII Richard, Duke of Gloucester]] also marries his childhood sweetheart, the widowed Anne Neville, over the strong objections of their third brother George. When Edward questions why Richard is willing to go through so much trouble, including giving up a large part of Anne's fortune to appease George, Richard asks what dowery Elizabeth brought to Edward, a remark that wins Edward's respect.
* ''Literature/TheVillainessLivesAgain'': Invoked. Artezia suggests that Cedric presents their impromptu courtship and marriage as a love match, so people won't immediately assume he's siding with Laurence in the ongoing SuccessionCrisis. It works, in part because [[BecomingTheMask it's not as much of an act as either of them would like it to be]]: It's strongly implied that Tia secretly loved Cedric even in the previous timeline and Cedric's vague memory of the past life's tormented Tia draws him to her.

* Prince Arthur from ''{{Series/Merlin|2008}}'' defies his father and breaks off an ArrangedMarriage due to the importance he places of marrying for love, stating that: "I'll be a much better king for the strength and support of a woman I love."

* ''Series/OnceUponATime'': PrinceCharming started out as a FarmBoy who insisted that he wanted to marry for love. Despite an ArrangedMarriage, he does end up marrying his TrueLove, Snow White.
* ''Series/{{Downton Abbey}}'':
** Lady Mary refuses to marry Matthew when he becomes the heir (even though she had been willing to marry the previous heir without love). Ironically, she does end up marrying for love - with Matthew. They slowly developed feelings for each other.
** Mary's younger sister Sybil is a more straightforward version of this trope when she marries Tom, the family chauffeur, for love, and repeatedly citing that love whenever she is questioned on her choice in husband by the rest of her family.
** Mary and Sybil's cousin Rose declares she will only marry for love and doesn't want to be pressured into a marriage just for the sake of it now that she's "out" in society. [[spoiler: Shortly afterwards, she falls for and marries Atticus Aldridge.]]

* ''Series/{{Friends}}'':
** Rachel leaves her fiancé [[{{RunawayBride}} at the altar]] because she wants to marry for love and almost immediately meets [[{{OfficialCouple}} Ross]]. Of course, thanks to her rather fickle nature, this turns out to be a [[{{WillTheyOrWontThey}} complicated journey]]. [[spoiler: She and Ross do eventually get together, and it's ''implied'' they do get married.]]
** Monica also shows shades of this, determined to have a happy family and loving husband, but resisting her mother's pressuring. When [[{{GoldDigger}} Rachel]] encourages her to date and marry a billionaire, Monica refuses because she doesn't have feelings for him. She succeeds in her quest a lot quicker than Rachel and [[spoiler: marries her best friend Chandler.]]

* ''Series/{{Bridgerton}}'':
** In season 1, as the eldest and most beautiful daughter of a rich viscount, Daphne has no shortage of suitors. But, she forgoes accepting a proposal for a while because she has seen her parents' happy marriage and wants a husband whom she has a real connection with.
** Averted with Anthony Bridgerton since the beginning of season 2. Anthony is strongly against marrying for love due to be still deeply traumatized over seeing how his father's tragic sudden death affected his mother so badly and a heartbreak after breaking up with his long-time mistress, Siena, in season 1. Nevertheless, upon meeting and falls in love with Kate Sharma in season 2, he couldn't resist his love for her, thus he decides to marry her.

* The musical ''Theatre/CallMeMadam'' had the song "Marrying For Love." In it, the SilverFox describes how arranged marriages have been unhappy in his aristocratic family. He won't make the same mistake they did, even if he's getting up there in years.
* In Cole Porter's {{Musical}} ''Theatre/ThePirate'', Serafin tells Manuela (who has been engaged to the Mayor of her tiny Caribbean village in an arranged marriage), "In England and America, they have a different custom. There the women marry for love," to which Manuela replies, "I know. That's a very stupid custom."

* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel IV'', on the night before the final day of the game, [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSky Olivert]] proposes to Schera at [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsFromZeroAndTrailsToAzure Mishelam]] out of love for the times that they've shared. While the player doesn't get to witness Schera's answer (due to [[TheHero Rean]] running away to prevent being a MomentKiller), the epilogue of the game clearly has Schera say yes.]] They reaffirm the reason why they marry for love in their side episode in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsIntoReverie''.

* Amid all the {{Arranged Marriage}}s and {{Altar Diplomac|y}}ies in ''WesternAnimation/{{Disenchantment}}'', King Zog and Queen Dagmar actually fell in LoveAtFirstSight and ended up happily married. [[spoiler: At least as far as Zog knew; [[SubvertedTrope Dagmar was in it for his kingdom]] and tried to assassinate him by turning him to stone. Zog is so crushed by the revelation, it's probably the first time in the entire series you actually feel bad for him.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' shows that even a ShotgunWedding doesn't preclude this, as Marge reveals in WholeEpisodeFlashback "I Married Marge" that her SurprisePregnancy with Bart wasn't the reason she agreed to marry Homer. This realization gives Homer the motivation he needs to finally get hired by the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, enabling him to support his new family.
-->'''Marge:''' Homer, do you know ''why'' I married you?
-->'''Homer:''' 'Cause I knocked you up?
-->'''Marge:''' No. Because I love you!

* Surprisingly for someone with such a maligned reputation, UsefulNotes/RichardIII apparently married his wife, Anne Neville, out of love. At the time, she was the widow of Henry VI's son and the daughter of the disgraced Earl of Warwick and whatever Richard could have gained from marrying her (part of her mother's fortune, political connections in the North) another less troublesome match could have accomplished. His older brother George, who was Anne's brother-in-law and wanted Anne's portion of her mother's fortune, bitterly opposed the marriage. Legend has it that George disguised Anne as a servant to hide her from Richard, and Richard [[RescueRomance rescued her]], whisking her away to sanctuary while he negotiated the marriage with his and George's oldest brother, the king. Eventually, Richard had to agree to give George a larger part of the fortune and some titles and properties in order to appease him but Richard did keep Anne's childhood home, where they eventually made their home. Also counts as ChildhoodFriendRomance; the two of them were distant cousins and grew up together.
* UsefulNotes/EdwardIV, the brother of Richard and George (see above) also married for love and caused himself a world of trouble. He married a common woman, Elizabeth Woodville, in secret and proceeded to shower titles and offices on her many relatives. This created much scandal, but Edward fiercely resisted any pressure to put his wife aside. His grandson UsefulNotes/HenryVIII, who resembled him, was even more famous for marrying for love, having done it five out of his six marriages, although it didn't [[OffWithHisHead always work out]].

* Surprisingly for someone with such a maligned reputation, UsefulNotes/RichardIII apparently married his wife, Anne Neville, out of love. At the time, she was the widow of Henry VI's son and the daughter of the disgraced Earl of Warwick and whatever Richard could have gained from marrying her (part of her mother's fortune, political connections in the North) another less troublesome match could have accomplished. His older brother George, who was Anne's brother-in-law and wanted Anne's portion of her mother's fortune, bitterly opposed the marriage. Legend has it that George disguised Anne as a servant to hide her from Richard, and Richard rescued her, whisking her away to sanctuary while he negotiated the marriage with his and George's oldest brother, the king. Eventually, Richard had to agree to give George a larger part of the fortune and some titles and properties in order to appease him but Richard did keep Anne's childhood home, where they eventually made their home. Also counts as ChildhoodFriendRomance; the two of them were distant cousins and grew up together.

** Edward IV defies the custom that a king should marry a princess by making Elizabeth Woodville, a penniless Lancastrian commoner with whom he's besotted, his Queen consort.
** [[StarCrossedLovers After a myriad of hurdles spread out over several years]], Anne Neville and Richard of Gloucester ''eventually'' attain a ChildhoodFriendRomance and tie the knot.

* Surprisingly for someone with such a maligned reputation, UsefulNotes/RichardIII apparently married his wife, Anne Neville, out of love. At the time, she was the widow of Henry VI's son and the daughter of the disgraced Earl of Warwick and whatever Richard could have gained from marrying her (part of her mother's fortune, political connections in the North) another less troublesome match could have accomplished. His older brother George, who was Anne's brother-in-law and wanted Anne's portion of her mother's fortune, strongly opposed the marriage. Legend has it that George disguised Anne as a servant to hide her from Richard, and Richard rescued her, whisking her away to sanctuary while he negotiated the marriage with his brother, the king. Eventually, Richard had to agree to give George a larger part of the fortune and some titles in order to appease him. Also counts as ChildhoodFriendRomance; the two of them were distant cousins and grew up together.
* UsefulNotes/EdwardIV, the brother of Richard III and George, Duke of Clarence, also married for love and caused himself a world of trouble. He married a common woman, Elizabeth Woodville, in secret and proceeded to shower titles and offices on her many relatives. This caused much scandal, but Edward fiercely resisted any pressure to put his wife aside. His grandson UsefulNotes/HenryVIII, who resembled him, was even more famous for marrying for love, having done it five out of his six marriages, although it didn't always work out.

* ''Literature/TheSunneInSplendour'' portrays two cases of marrying for love based on real historic events. UsefulNotes/EdwardIV marries the commoner Elizabeth Woodville rather than a foreign princess and alienates his key allies. His youngest brother, [[UsefulfulNotes/RichardIII Richard, Duke of Gloucester]] also marries his childhood sweetheart, the widowed Anne Neville, over the strong objections of their third brother George. When Edward questions why Richard is willing to go through so much trouble, including giving up a large part of Anne's fortune to appease George, Richard asks what dowery Elizabeth brought to Edward, a remark that wins Edward's respect.

* Surprisingly for someone with such a maligned reputation, UsefulNotes/RichardIII apparently married his wife, Anne Neville, out of love. At the time, she was the widow of Henry VI's son and the daughter of the disgraced Earl of Warwick and whatever Richard could have gained from marrying her (part of her mother's fortune, political connections in the North) another less troublesome match could have accomplished. His older brother George, who was Anne's brother-in-law, wanted Anne's portion of her mother's fortune, strongly opposed the marriage. Legend has it that George disguised Anne as a servant to hide her from Richard, and Richard rescued her, whisking her away to sanctuary while he negotiated the marriage with his brother, the king. Eventually, Richard had to agree to give George a larger part of the fortune and some titles in order to appease him. Also counts as ChildhoodFriendRomance; the two of them were distant cousins and grew up together.

* Surprisingly for someone with such a maligned reputation, UsefulNotes/RichardIII apparently married his wife, Anne Neville, out of love. At the time, she was the widow of Henry VI's son and the daughter of the disgraced Earl of Warwick and whatever Richard could have gained from marrying her (part of her mother's fortune, political connections in the North) another less troublesome match could have accomplished. His older brother George, who was Anne's brother-in-law, wanted Anne's portion of her mother's fortune, strongly opposed the marriage. Legend has it that George disguised Anne as a servant and Richard rescued her, whisking her away to sanctuary while he negotiated the marriage with his brother, the king. Eventually, Richard had to agree to give George a larger part of the fortune and some titles in order to appease him. Also counts as ChildhoodFriendRomance; the two of them were distant cousins and grew up together.
* UsefulNotes/EdwardIV, the brother of Richard III and George, Duke of Clarence, also married for love and caused himself a world of trouble. He married a common woman, Elizabeth Woodville, in secret and proceeded to shower titles and offices on her many relatives. This caused much scandal, but Edward fiercely resisted any pressure to put his wife aside.

* Surprisingly for someone with such a maligned reputation, UsefulNotes/RichardIII apparently married his wife, Anne Neville, out of love. At the time, she was the widow of Henry VI's son and the daughter of the disgraced Earl of Warwick; Richard didn't have a lot to gain from marrying her. Also counts as ChildhoodFriendRomance; the two of them were distant cousins and grew up together.

** The young Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria (1830-1916) married his shy but beautiful Bavarian cousin Elisabeth (better known by her nickname Sisi) against his mother's wishes. The young, unprepared and sensitive Elisabeth was deeply unsuited for the very public role of empress and eventually withdrew from the marriage all but in name, but her husband remained deeply in love with her all his life.

* The main plot of ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDxD'' Volume 2 deals with the main female protagonist; [[StockLightNovelCalamityPrincess Rias Gremory]], being engaged by her parents against her will to another devil, as she stated that she would choose her husband herself, as she tries to annul the engagement by competing in a Rating Game against her would-be-fiance, as the engagement is annulled by the actions of her servant; [[ChivalrousPervert Issei Hyoudou]], whom she falls in love with. [[spoiler: Issei would later propose to her in Volume 22 and she gladly accepts, becoming the first of his brides.]]

** Averted with Anthony Bridgerton since the beginning of season 2. Anthony is strongly against marrying for love due to be still deeply traumatized over seeing how his father's tragic sudden death affected his mother so badly and a heartbreak after breaking up with his long-time mistress, Siena, in season 1. Nevertheless, upon meeting Kate Sharma, he couldn't resist his love for her, thus he decides to marry her.

** Averted with Anthony Bridgerton since the beginning of season 2. Anthony is strongly against marrying for love due to be still deeply traumatized over seeing how his father's tragic sudden death affected his mother so badly and a heartbreak after breaking up with his mistress, Siena, in season 1. Nevertheless, upon meeting Kate Sharma, he couldn't resist his love for her, thus he decides to marry her.