The Engagement Party
订婚仪式

When a couple decides to marry, they naturally first inform both sets of parents before having a party planned or telling all their friends. The days are long gone of the young man going trembling into the presence of the girl's father and asking for permission. However, a wise couple always discusses their plans for marriage with their respective families, and a young man often suggests a “financial talk” with his future father-in-law before the latter is faced with the embarrassment of asking him for one.
当一对年轻人决定结婚时，自然会先告诉自己的父母，然后办一场聚会，把好消息告诉所有的朋友。在过去，年轻男士总是心惊胆战地来到女方的父亲面前请求同意，这种情形早已一去不复返了。尽管如此，聪明的年轻男女总是各自先和父母商量他们的结婚计划，年轻男士常常首先建议与未来岳父进行一次“财政会谈”，以免不得不面临未来的岳父在他之前提出这一要求的尴尬局面。

Engagement parties are given by the parents of the bride-to-be or by a relative of the bride acting for her parents, usually just before the newspaper announcement of the engagement. It is usually a simple cocktail party, champagne served for toasts to the engaged couple. If a minister or a priest is present, he will rise next to bless the couple.
订婚仪式通常安排在登报宣布订婚消息之前，由未来新娘的父母张罗，或由新娘的亲戚代劳。订婚仪式通常是简单的鸡尾酒会，大家喝香槟酒向订婚夫妇致辞祝福。如果有牧师在场，他们会接着站起来祝福这一对年轻人。

The bride-to-be usually wears her engagement ring officially for the first time on this occasion. The traditional engagement ring is a diamond solitaire. However, today anything goes. The wedding ring will be of the same metal (platinum, yellow gold, or white gold) as the engagement ring. Some women prefer no engagement ring but choose a wedding band that is studded with stones instead, or a pearl necklace or a jeweled watch.
在订婚仪式上，未来新娘会第一次正式戴上订婚戒指。传统的订婚戒指是一枚嵌有单颗钻石的戒指。如今，什么样的戒指都可以。结婚戒指可以和订婚戒指材料相同(铂金、黄金或白金)。也有些女子不想要订婚戒指，而要一颗嵌有宝石的结婚戒指、一根珍珠项链或一块嵌有宝石的手表。