Cancel 2018. 3
<-- sched 2, MJ sched 1
I am from California too yurt and I have never understood engagements to about "periods of time to see if you are comaptible"...that's what dating is for.
"An engagement is a promise to marry, and also the period of time between proposal and marriage – which may be lengthy or trivial. During this period, a couple is said to be affianced, betrothed, engaged to be married, or simply engaged. Future brides and grooms are often referred to as fiancées or fiancés respectively (from the French word fiancé). The duration of the courtship varies vastly.
Long engagements were once common in formal arranged marriages and it was not uncommon for parents betrothing children to arrange such many years before the engaged couple were old enough to marry. In 2007, the average engagement time in the United States was 17 months,[1] but the figure around the world varies greatly depending on culture and customs."
let's see what else that wiki article says:
In some historical cultures (including colonial North America), the betrothal was essentially a trial marriage
i disagree on the historical. i know many who consider an extended trial period, along with a promise to marry. that is why many put it out for half a year or so.