An engagement, betrothal, or fiancer is the relationship between folks that need to get married, and additionally the time period between a marriage idea and a wedding. for the duration of this era, a pair is stated to be betrothed, meant, affianced, engaged to be married, or sincerely engaged. destiny brides and grooms may be called the betrothed, a spouse-to-be or husband-to-be, fiancée or fiancé (from the French word of the equal shape), respectively. The period of the courtship varies vastly, and is basically depending on cultural norms or upon the agreement of the parties worried.
long engagements were once commonplace in formal organized marriages, and it became no longer uncommon for parents betrothing children to arrange marriages many years before the engaged couple were antique sufficient. this is still not unusual in some nations.