Engagement is the promise of marriage, but it’s original meaning isn’t as romantic as you might think.
What does getting engaged mean ‐‐ and how to go about it?
In Anglo‐Saxon times, when a man found the woman of his dreams, he simply ‘stole’ her. This left the father of the bride fuming at the theft of his ‘property’ ‐‐ a valuable worker. He insisted on compensation for the loss, demanding the groom pay a ‘bride price’. The engagement period was simply time allotted for the transfer of ownership!
Centuries later, this procedure was reversed and the bride’s father was required to pay his future son‐in‐law a sum of money or dowry to take his daughter off his hands. The engagement gave the bride time to collect a magnificent ‘trousseau’ of items to transfer to her new home.
Today, proposing and getting engaged are still the first steps to marriage. This confetti perfect planner will help you get your start on the road to wedded bliss.
