[Aquinasfan]

1) Does it still count as cohabitation if the couples kept themslves chaste until marraige?

Literally, yes. Practically, no. Chaste cohabitors represent .001% of the cohabiting population (my statistics). IOW, they're statistically insignificant.

But cohabitation is a public scandal. And that's reason enough not to engage in it.

3) Does it still count if it’s a relatively short period of time (day before marraige, one week after engagement)?

Yes, because cohabitation is a public scandal. One doesn't have to be a Christian to understand the importance of bad example.

[jmc813]

Yes, because cohabitation is a public scandal.

You live in a state which lets dudes marry each other. Are you really going to tell me with a straight face that most people there find opposite-sex couples living together "scandalous"?

[Killborn]

Ah thank you. A very informative post.