Unique Wedding Tips

An engagement is a promise to marriage, 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 bridegrooms are often referred to as fiancées (brides) or fiancés (grooms).

Long engagements were once common in formal arrangements of marriage and it was not uncommon for parents betrothing children to arrange such many years before the engaged couple were old enough to marry.

Engagement rings

Customs for engagement rings vary according to time, place, and culture. An engagement ring has historically been uncommon, and when such a gift was given, it was separate from the wedding ring. Romantic rings from the time of the Roman Empire and from as far back as 4 AD often resemble the Celtic Claddagh symbol (two hands clasping a heart) and so it is thought that this was used as some symbol of love and commitment between two people.

In the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and many other countries, an engagement ring is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. This tradition is thought to be from the Romans, who believed this finger to be the beginning of the vena amoris (“vein of love”), the vein that leads to the heart. The custom in Continental Europe and other countries is to wear it on the right hand.

In other countries from South America, like in Argentina, man and woman use each one ring, and these are generally very similar to the wedding rings, with the difference that they are made of silver instead of gold. In Norway, both men and women wear an engagement ring. In Brazil they are always made of gold, and there is no tradition for the engagement ring. Both men and women wear the wedding band on their right hand while engaged, and after they marry, they shift the rings to their left hands.

In the modern era, some women’s wedding rings are made into two separate pieces. One part is given to her to wear as an engagement ring when she accepts the marriage proposal, and the other during the wedding ceremony. When worn together, the two rings look like one piece of jewellery.

Engagement parties

Some engagements are announced at an engagement party, traditionally hosted by the bride’s parents. These parties are given in the family’s usual style of entertainment. Traditionally, engagement parties were normal parties at which a surprise announcement of the engagement was made by the father of the bride to his guests. Therefore, it is not a traditional gift-giving occasion, as none of the guests were supposed to be aware of the engagement until after their arrival.

In modern times, engagement parties often celebrate a previously publicized engagement. Whether presents are given at these engagement parties varies from culture to culture.

Many couples do not have an engagement party, and instead use other ways to inform their friends of the upcoming nuptials.

You receive news that someone you know has gotten engaged and you want to buy a special gift for them that will acknowledge the happy occasion. Opt for buying a present that both the future bride and groom would take pleasure in. If you are unsure of what present you should give, there are several ideas that you could consider buying for a couple as an engagement gift.

Planning a wedding can be stressful and the couple may have little time to experience relaxation and serene moments. Consider giving them a gift certificate to a spa for a full body massage. It will give them the opportunity to do something that they may not do frequently. In addition you would be giving them an engagement gift that involves a little extra rest and relaxation that chances are they need.

A set of champagne flutes is an engagement gift that the couple may be able to use for special occasions and celebrations. The champagne flutes are not only something that the couple could use at their wedding, but for years after as well. There are places where you can have them personalized to make them a bit more uniquely tailored to the couple.

Another engagement gift idea that you can consider giving is a digital picture frame. After the wedding, the couple will have plenty of pictures that they may want to display. A digital picture frame could give them the option to display their photographs in one space at one time or in a slideshow format.

If you know the couple is the adventurous type, consider giving them a gift certificate to go skydiving. They can take the plunge together from thousands of feet up in the air. If you choose, you may want to pay an additional charge to have the experience videotaped so it will give the couple something to look back on. It’s an engagement gift that is unique and is something that they could remember for a lifetime.

When you are choosing an engagement gift for a couple, you may want to consider choosing one that they will not only enjoy, but can also use or remember long after their wedding has passed. You should keep in mind the tastes and hobbies of the couple as well. The best present that you can give to the couple is one that you put thought into and one that comes from the heart.