To what extent was intimacy tolerated before marriage? I've gotten the impression from books, movies, tv shows, etc. That nothing was really official before marriage, that people sort of meandered around until they got married. Was there anything resembling what we have today with "I have a boyfriend/girlfriend. "
It varied among classes. Most high-ranking nobles and royals were married through arranged marriage. In one rather shocking example, Richard II agreed to marry the 7 year old daughter of the French king as part of a peace treaty. However, among peasants there was much more freedom to do as you pleased. The church had a very strong influence on what behavior was deemed appropriate for unmarried people so premarital sex certainly happened, but wasn't commonly talked about.