Engaging.
My good friend has up and gotten herself a fiancé. Though they’re both quite young, it wasn’t a surprise—of my highschool pals, she was the favorite to settle down first. The only surprise was that it hadn’t happened sooner. They were one of those “pre-engaged” couples: set on marrying one another but not yet trading in the “girlfriend”/”boyfriend” nomenclature for “fiancée”/”fiancé”. A curious, unofficial relationship status. If you’re pre-engaged, why not be all-the-way-engaged?
Because apparently, buying a ring seems to magically set wedding plans into motion. Her boyfriend proposed mere weeks ago and the chapel has already been booked. She’s already tried on dresses. Even I’ve volunteered to throw a small brunch celebration in the city next weekend. The hesitation of the pre-engaged is suddenly clear: the phenomenon can be traced to the volume of young couples too busy (or perhaps too broke) to plan the most involved and expensive party they’ll ever throw.
I’m entirely single, but I now feel inclined to place an order for 75 steaks* with the butcher—it’ll be one less to-do item once the ring is produced.
*There will be no vegetarian or fish option at my wedding.
