At our school lavalierings are much quieter, and I don't think we've ever done a candle pass for someone getting lavaliered (although it is very special and will be announced in chapter, etc). Getting lavaliered means you can wear their letters, but it's done individually by the guy and I don't think there's a ton of chapter involvement. Pinnings, on the other hand, are a huge deal. We do a candle pass (twice around for pinning) and then the pinning itself involves the entirety of the two chapters. The actual pinning ceremony is a school tradition, but it is certainly an event to see and there are often tons of people (greeks and non-greeks alike) crowded around to watch when pinnings happen. Pinning is essentially the step right before engagement and it's a big deal because the entire fraternity (I think most chapters are in the realm of a 75% plus vote) has to approve the girl and deem her worthy of wearing their pin. This usually takes place at the end of a semester during the girl's senior year, usually second semester unless one of them is graduating early. Alumni will also come back to pin their girlfriends if the girl is younger.

That's crazy- in a great way-. No one does any kind of pinning really at our school. The lavalier is a pretty big deal, we pass a candle twice for the lavalier and only once for pinning. That is a pretty amazing thing especially since everyone is involved, I kinda wish that was a tradition at our school but we have a very small greek system so that could be part of the reason

We do what has been said by alot of other greeks. twice around the candle is lavaliered (And yes we see it as a promise ring, or pre-engagment. Some chapters see it as more important than others) 3 times is engagment, 4 is pregnancy.

However, what we do differently then what I have read is when you want to wear your own letters as your lavalier. You can't by your own (bad karma).. So what we do is your big sister lavaliers you when she feels you have "earned" it. It means you have acomplished a goal that you set for yourself, your graduating, you made a big commitment to the chapter.. etc! For instance, I was the Recruitment chair and I got mine on our bid day, after the hassle of recruitment is over! Each family gives theres at different time, but your suppose to get it sometime before your big sister goes alum!