Page 57 - The Circle of Life

Chapter 3

Engagement to be married or betrothal

It is rather nice to ask your better half for her hand in marriage and is known as

being engaged or betrothal if she agrees. Should she refuse it is known

collectively as the great escape or the day you embarrassed yourself (joke).
Seriously, you cannot claim any compensation because a woman refused to
marry you. And whilst you may plan the big question to the last detail the law is

not as bothered with it as much as you may expect. In law it is simply an

understanding between two people to get married in the future and live as man
and wife in the fullest sense of the word together under one roof facing life as

one.

You don't need her parents' permission unless she is a minor and if I may say so

you better not ask me unless you want see if you can outrun my shotgun pellets.
Wait until she is of age and able to make her own decisions. If you then ask the

parents you do so out of respect only and not because the law tells you to do so.
Discuss this with your fiancée to be for I find many modern women do not take

kindly to the idea of being given away as an item.

There is nothing to say you need to be on your knees or have a ring ready. That
is just a custom but it may be cheaper to buy the ring yourself rather than let

her choose it (joking). Nothing in law says you as the man must buy the ring
anyway. She can also do so if you happen to be broke.

The engagement does not need to be in writing though it sometimes is and
known as an engagement letter. Not very original that is. Some have an

engagement agreement which is a full contract but note an engagement contract
is not the same as an antenuptial agreement which we will deal with later. It

only states that the parties wish to marry in the future and deal with property
issues. It cannot be enforced which is why it is seldom used and you cannot

have penalty clauses in this type of contract like for instance stating if you don't

marry me by next week Wednesday you pay me 100 dollars a day penalty. That
would be against the morals of the public at large. All in all such a contract is
rather useless.

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