Engagement

Engagement A. Engagement is the last phase in a boy and girl relationship before they get married. This is set as soon as the couple pledges to get married. It is a stage where a man and a woman have already decided greater involvement and deeper attachment to each other. In Cebu, Philippines, after the courtship stage and the girl decides that she also would like to take the suitor's offer of love and commitment, then the girl will give her favorable answer to the suitor. At times it takes months before the answer is given. In the past, strict parents would sometimes give a series of tests, having the suitor do some chores like fetching some water from the well, cutting firewood to be used for cooking dinner, helping the father of the girl do some yard or farm work. Nowadays, a more modern approach is being performed by the suitor whereby he offers gentlemanly help to the parents, sometimes carrying groceries as he sees them walking down the streets, offering them a ride if he happens to be driving their way, doing other favors that can help win their favor and better his chances of getting the girl's love as well. In Cebu, engagements may take longer than a year, and then the date shall be set for marriage. When the couple gets to decide to get married, pamamanhikan takes place. It happens when the boy goes to the house of the girl and officially ask the girl’s hand in front of the family. Sometimes, an engagement party happens. It is a celebration planned by the couple for they have decided to be married. An engagement ring is given by the man to the woman, which symbolizes their preparedness for a marriage. B. While in the west a wedding is more or less an affair between two individuals, in Korea, the entire family is involved – not only during the celebrations, but also during the decision-making process. In Korea, there are not just two individuals marrying each other, but there are instead two whole families that enter into a relationship together.