Engagement is a promise to marry. It is the time period between proposal of marriage and the actual marriage which may take place after some time. During the engagement period, a couple is said to be engaged to be married. The future brides and grooms are called fiancée or fiancé respectively. This period of courtship before marriage varies with every couple. In formal arranged marriages, long engagements used to be very common. Sometimes the parents used to betroth the children (engage the children) before the actual marriage could take place when they become adult. The European arrangement has its origin in Jewish Law called Torah. On this occasion, there is a practice to throw engagement party which involves family members mostly along with some close friends and other well wishers. In many cultures, exchanging engagement rings are common. In many places, the engagement or contract of the marriage is announced in an engagement party that is generally thrown by the bride’s family. Traditionally such engagement parties used to be normal parties where suddenly the announcement of engagement used to be made by the father of the bride to his guests. So the guests used to come without any gift. In the modern time, the guests are already aware that they are going to an engagement party so a custom of carrying gifts for the bride-to-be and groom-to-be has started. Again whether the presents are to be given on the occasion of engagement varies from culture to culture.
