Before the publication of Villette Charlotte received a proposal of marriage from Arthur Bell Nicholls, her father's curate, who had long been in love with her. She initially turned down his proposal and her father objected to the union at least partly because of Nicholls's poor financial status.[25] Elizabeth Gaskell, who believed that marriage provided "clear and defined duties" that were beneficial for a woman,[25] encouraged Charlotte to consider the positive aspects of such a union and tried to use her contacts to engineer an improvement in Nicholls's finances.[25] Charlotte meanwhile was increasingly attracted to Nicholls and by January 1854 she had accepted his proposal. They gained the approval of her father by April and married in June.[26] Her father Patrick had intended to give Charlotte away, but at the last minute decided he could not, and Charlotte had to make her way to the church without him.[27] The married couple took their honeymoon in Banagher, County Offaly, Ireland.[28]