Mail-Order Bride (trope)

Tropes and genres
Synonym(s)	Mail-Order Husband, Mail-Order Groom, Mail-Order Wife/Wive
Related tropes/genres	Marriage
See also	Arranged Marriage, Forced Marriage, Pretend Marriage, Marriage of Convenience (trope),
Related articles on Fanlore.

Mail-Order Bride is a canon/fanon trope which is an offshoot of the popular arranged marriage genre.

Mail-order bride is the term given to women and men -- though historically it was mostly women -- who have their marriages arranged through a catalogue or other interface, where the parties correspond through letters and other communication systems.

In fanworks as well as some canon media, the trope is often used in Historical AUs (set for example in the medieval, Victorian and Edwardian eras), in Royalty AUs and plots set in colonial times, especially Western AUs.

It is a popular theme in Harlequin literature and sometimes features in Harlequin Challenges. The trope probably originated with zines and adzines, later migrating to the internet as fandom moved online.

Example Fanworks

Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples.

Fanfic and Podfic

• Lassos and Lilies by NotEvenCloseToStraight a WinterIronShield non-traditional omegaverse Western AU (2021)
• Segunda Chance (Second Chance) a 2011 Drarry mpreg story in Brazilian Portuguese by J. P. Malfoy inspired by novels Harlequin partially Historical AU
• Mail Order Bride a Company Business zine by Bast
• Leap of Faith by NadiaHart: a 2018 SPN Destiel story with a/b/o werewolves
• You Made Me Love You series by Bootsncatz: a 2019/2020 Winnona Earp 100k series
• Across Six Septembers by bluetoast: an epic 2021 Star Wars Reylo series (400k words, 56 chapters)
• Mr. Eames and Mr. Eames by jibarilis: a 2010 Inception story, Podfic by exmanhater
• Mail Order Stiles by Green: a 2013 Teen Wolf Sterek story with more than 8k kudos)
• (Podfic) but hey, you're all right by sisi_rambles: a 2014 Captain America podfic
• (Podfic) See This Through by turva_auto: a 2015 Hockey RPF podfic
• (Podfic) Make Your Home In Me by RsCreighton: a 2015 Les Miserables podfic

Resources

• Mail Order Brides AO3 tag (188 works as of August 30, 2021)
• Mail Order Bride AO3 titles (171 works as September 1, 2021)
• Mail Order Bride FFN search (87 works as September 1, 2021)