While your bride is certainly in no way a piece of property, some customs require the groom to ask the father-of-the-bride for his daughter's hand in marriage. You may also consider it as more of asking your girlfriend's father for his blessing, rather than permission. And here's how to do it:

    * Call your bride's parents in advance, to tell them you'd like to meet, privately
    * Meet with both her mom and dad
    * Meet in person, if possible
    * Tell them you love their daughter and you'll treat her with the respect that she deserves
    * Bloody-well believe what you just said
    * Ask that they bless your union

Remember that even if you think that such traditions are outdated, you're still marrying into her traditional family. So start your relationship with her parents off on the right foot and hopefully, they'll receive this good bit of news with open arms and open hearts.