Prepared by:

E.M. JAMILLA
UST Institute of Religion

Another step which

normally precedes
marriage is the
engagement. This
term indicates the
formal commitment
which a man and a
woman make to
marry each other. It
is also the time
between this
commitment and the
marriage itself.

Often, an
engagement is
marked with a
public function,
even a religious
ceremony, which
aims at making the
commitment of the
couples publicly
known and
accepted.

Purpose of Engagement
A period to discover
and study the couples
compatibility

Preparation for marriage

Kinds of Engagement
Informal Engagement where a
mutual verbal agreement is made by a
man and a woman and they continue to
examine their feelings for one another,
to be better acquainted and to discover
areas of compatibility.

Formal Engagement or
Bethrothal is usually executed in
writing in the form of a quasi-judicial
contract, signed by both parents and the
parish priest or witnesses; usually a
formal party is held either the bride or
the grooms house. The announcement
is made public in this kind of
engagement.

The length of time for

engagement varies
depending on the couple or
their families. It must not
be too long or too short but
it must be from a period of
six months to one year, just
enough for them to prepare
for their wedding and to
settle whatever problems
that may affect their
marriage.

Although the engagement is already binding act, it is not

yet marriage itself. Therefore it is still possible to break
it. The chance of an engagement breaking is higher
when it has not been preceded by a convenient time of
courtship.

Engagement is the best time for the

couple to prepare themselves for a
lifetime commitment.

Couples must remember that

at this stage they are not yet
married and they should
avoid any activity reserved
only for married couples.
Engagement is not a license
to engage in sexual
intercourse.