Having an arranged marriage may not be for everyone. But in the world of dating apps and matrimonial websites some people have spoken candidly about why an arranged marriage was for them.

In a community that still strives to find a balance between cultural and religious values and the pressures faced by young people, are old traditions being replaced?

But what happens when those old traditions are still preferred by many families?

Whilst arranging a marriage can take many forms, the traditional approach entails parents and families deciding on the match.

This does not mean the couple do not meet beforehand, but we speak to people who admit they would not have got a partner if their marriage had not been arranged. Well, not to their partner anyway.

Yaqoob, aged 43, told us: “I am glad the arranged marriage process exists because I know I would not have got the wife I have now.

“I admit she is far better looking than me.

“If there was no arranged marriage and I had to find a wife I would not have been able to get married. Not straight away.

“I was given a choice of several really good women I could have got married to.

“I am not saying that arranged marriage is only good for those who can’t find a partner. Many people just want to keep their family happy.

“But for me, if I look back at my life and my partner, she is far better looking and more intelligent than me and there is no way we would have been matched any other way.”

Sarfraz got married in 1995. He said: “I am going to be honest, if there was no arranged marriage then I would have struggled to get married because I am ugly.

“I know I am not the best looking person and I don’t have money either so I don’t really have anything to offer. I am just your average type of guy. The only thing I had going for me at the time was my British passport.

“I know people might criticise me but my wife and I are happy and life has been good. But I know there is no way she would have married me if she really had a choice.

“We spoke about it ourselves a few years ago and she did say I was not her type. It is cruel I know but you have to be honest about these things.”

Uwais, 41, said he had an arranged marriage 20 years ago. “I agree with some of my friends. We are lucky the arranged marriage system is around.

“I have friends who got married of their own choice and others who had an arranged marriage. You will find those who had the arranged marriage have much easier lives. No one wants to admit this but this is true.

“We do have easier lives.

“But I have seen some of my friends who are now lucky the arranged marriage system exists within our community because if it didn’t they would not find a suitable partner.

“They would be introduced to potential partners but people are superficial. If you have a stable job and an average bank account, you are not going to land a model. Some of my friends have found they got a higher class of woman by sticking with the arranged marriage process.

“I know things are different now but some young people will still opt for the arranged marriage system as it guarantees them someone they would never get otherwise.”

Hajra was married to a family friend from Pakistan. “I got married to man through an introduction from the UK. This did not work out. Then I got married to a far better man from Pakistan.

“He was more handsome and many of my friends were jealous at the time. There is no way I would have found someone like that.”

Tania (not her real name) had an arranged marriage in 2002. She says she is happy with how things have developed. “We have four children and I know I made the right choice.

“It was not easy at first but there is no way I would have got married to someone like him if it was not arranged.

“I know some friends who have got married out of love and got divorced then decided to have an arranged marriage.”

Umer, 39, said he did not have time to find a partner and was not very sociable. “I did well at school and in our community we didn’t really get to speak to girls.

“Then I got a job and my parents took it upon themselves to find me a wife. I thank them for their choice.

“At work I have white friends who grew up just like me and they find it so hard meeting the right person. They have tried everything. They could actually do with an arranged marriage!

“Once I took my wife to work’s dinner event and people were so shocked. One colleague was brutally honest and said, ‘How the hell did an ugly guy like you end up with her?’ “We laughed about it but I have to honest, even I don’t know!”