Engagement

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. An engagement is a promise to marry, and also the period of time between proposal and marriage - which may be lengthy or trivial. During this period, a couple is said to be affianced, betrothed, engaged to be married, or simply engaged. Future brides and bridegrooms are often referred to as fiancées or fiancés respectively (from the French word fiancé). The duration of the courtship varies vastly. Long engagements were once common in formal arranged marriages and it was not uncommon for parents betrothing children to arrange such many years before the engaged couple were old enough to marry. In 2007, the average engagement time in the United States was 17 months, but the figure around the world would vary greatly depending on culture and customs.