First of all, you need to haste and pray to God and Theotokos – her intercession is powerful before God – to order your faith according to His holy will and if this proposal to marriage will be useful for you, ask Him to send His help and blessing, and if it isn’t then through His judgement to undo this plan.

Being at God’s mercy, at not seeking to fulfil your will is going to save you from many problems that may come when someone wants at all cost to impose his or her will, after which they go to their friends or relatives to ask for advice. God will also reveal to them what to say to you, but first you need to know if he is a good Christian and observes the customs of the Orthodox Church, but also to know his personality, at least partly. Today’s society is dangerous, people have become free-thinkers and do not follow the Church’s customs. Even if you like him, but he does not have a sense of decency, then my advice is to avoid marriage with such a person, and if he is a true Christian and son of the Orthodox Church, then yes, my advice is to do it with the help of God.

If God’s will is for you to take this man as a husband, then before marriage, my advice is to prepare yourselves and partake with God’s Holy Mysteries. Getting ready for such an important Mystery as that of marriage, means to clear your soul of sins through confession and prayer, not by parties and music, because this step will influence your life on earth but also in heaven.  And what would be your faith in marriage? Leave it to God do decide, because His judgement is not known by us – He punishes or rewards you according to your morality. Don’t care too much about fortune, but seek to find God’s Kingdom, and all these will come into your benefit (Matthew 6:33). 

(Translated from Sfântul Macarie de la Optina, Filocalia de la Optina, Editura Egumeniţa, Galaţi, 2009, pp. 68-69)