how much does your parents approval matter in a relationship?

Problem/Goal: I’m F28 in a relationship with someone that my parents don’t approve of. I’m a family oriented person and this has caused tension between my relationship with my family.

Context: I decided to hide my relationship from them since they don’t like him because of his background (they just prefer someone with a similar background as us).
I love him very much and I know I want to keep him in my life forever. The question is, when it comes to relationships how important is it to have the approval of your parents?