The Engagement (Part II)West
In the west, engagement is the part that comes after the proposal. When a person proposes, the ring that’s given is the engagement ring. The engagement is not a trial period of letting the couple get to know each other, it’s more of a period that lets the couple prepare for the wedding and for the marital life. It’s serious and it’s all about commitment. Normally the engagement in the west happens after the couple truly knows each other and the parents have nothing to do with them.
The priorities for a western engaged couple:
- Living together
- Meeting the parents
- Getting to know each other’s dos and don’ts
- Sexual intercourse
- Focus on the future living standard and finances
- Prepare for the wedding
Engagement in the middle east is the most complicated part of a relationship. It can be the stage where two people met through their parents and got engaged to get to know each other; or it can be the stage where the relationship between two is made official to the society, extended family, relatives and friends.
In the middle east, it’s all about the parents. Parents have dinners, make parties and invite everyone outside. The engagement is not a transition from a relationship to marriage; the engagement is “the relationship” between the couple and the parents. So basically, engagement ceremonies in the middle east are merely making the relationship between the couple official to the public, and they’re also a way to prevent gossips and bad reputation. Being engaged will allow the couple to make public appearances and go to restaurants and take rides in cars etc.
The priorities for a middle eastern engaged couple:
- Getting to know each other more
- Making public appearances
- Meeting extended family and relatives
- Parent’s of each side get to know the other more
- Plan a wedding
- In some cases – starting a relationship between the couple because they just met
