How important....

Jflod710 Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:33 AM

How important....

is a e-party?? I dont know if we should have one! I'm trying to figure all this out so we can save enough money!

Colette Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:41 AM

Re: How important....

To me, it wasn't important AT ALL... my mother hosted a family dinner, it wasn't really billed as an 'engagement party' but it was nice and exactly what we were comfortable with.
I feel like the list of wedding related parties is a little 'overboard' nowadays, when you add it all up, its a lot of time, a lot of money (on both you and your family/guests), and entirely too much planning if you do the full monty. (But its a very personal thing, and some couples/families LOVE doing all of these!!!):

engagement dinner
Bridal shower
Bachelor/bachelorette party
rehearsal dinner
wedding
day-after brunch

Do what you/fh are comfortable with, there's no need to do EVERYTHING, and the financial pressure is REALLY something as the wedding gets closer!
:) best of luck!!!!

teenigrrl Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:42 AM

Re: How important....

we didn't have one, we didn't feel it was necessary. we're also having a shorter engagement (9 months) so it would be weird to have two big parties so close to each other. however, FMIL did have a dinner for us, but it was only immediate family, and def more our style. out of the 4 weddings i've been to this year, only one couple had an engagement party.

DeannaNDave07 Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:45 AM

Re: How important....

we didnt have and E-party either.. we dont think its necessary and its really just another expense for your guests.. weddings are sooo not cheap on LI.. we def cannot have an Eparty on top of everything else.

FutureMrsC Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:45 AM

Re: How important....

I think it is an individual preference. My mom is throwing it for us but if she didn't we probably would have just had a nice dinner with our immediate families.

Future Mulligan Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:48 AM

Re: How important....

we had one and it was worth it - FH's parents helped us out financially but we ended up putting a few thousand toward the party too b/c they couldnt afford to pay for the entire party - we were fine with that - we werent having a party to make $$ we were having a party to celebrate! we really enjoyed ourselves!

rkl1130 Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:48 AM

Re: How important....

We didn't have an e-party...we didn't think it was all that important really. This is a personal preference...I've been to some e-parties that were like weddings in and of itself.

KK Holiday Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:48 AM

Re: How important....

its not that important but it is a chance to celebrate something and a chance to rake in that money!!!!!!!!!!

DandS Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:53 AM

Re: How important....

We did not have one, however we also only had a 5 month engagement. But even so I would not have had one. No one in my family usually has them.

Jen822 Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:54 AM

Re: How important....

Posted by Jflod710

is a e-party?? I dont know if we should have one! I'm trying to figure all this out so we can save enough money!

i have really never heard of an e-party just a brial shower but my mom wanted our families to meet (just the immediate fam)

JSPocket Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:55 AM

Re: How important....

I didn't have one and I am fine with that. To be honest, I never heard of engagement parties until LIW. I'm sure they're nice if you can afford it but I don't feel it's necessary.

Brian and Marie Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:56 AM

Re: How important....

We didn't have one. We didn't really have a long engagement, only 9 months. And I was living in NC at the time. Plus we felt it was too short of a time to expect people to come to an e-party, then a shower, and then a wedding, all in 9 months!

Jflod710 Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:56 AM

Re: How important....

Thank you ladies!!!

emomma17 Posted: Oct 16, 2007 10:56 AM

Re: How important....

We didn't have one we thought it was an added expense we didn't want to impose on anyone and ourselves.

AllyDrew1108 Posted: Oct 16, 2007 11:13 AM

Re: How important....

We didn't have one and secretly, I wish we did. My favorite line is how my future MIL always would say 'I wish you two would get married so I can throw you an engagement party at The Manor (a popular RH in NJ).' Well, we did finally get engaged and she then decided that e-parties are excuses for getting gifts.

I wish we were able to have something because a lot of my family members sent us gifts! I was very surprised.

I guess I felt we've been together for almost 6 years, I'm kinda old, etc. and that I picture those parties for younger couples who haven't been togehter that long and it's a way for the family to all meet. My family knows him well, so ...

But like the other girls said, it's personal preference. We had to save our money for other things, but certainly if his mom was like 'I'm totally throwing you an e-party' - we would not have turned her down. Ha ha!

SusiBtoM Posted: Oct 16, 2007 11:15 AM

Re: How important....

not at all.
We did not have one.
Personally I do not like them. The wedding should be the main celebratory party.

A dinner with both sets of parents and siblings should be enough to celebrate the engagement, and to let both sets of parents get to know one another if they have not met before.

Jflod710 Posted: Oct 16, 2007 11:38 AM

Re: How important....

Posted by SusiBtoM

not at all.
We did not have one.
Personally I do not like them. The wedding should be the main celebratory party.

A dinner with both sets of parents and siblings should be enough to celebrate the engagement, and to let both sets of parents get to know one another if they have not met before.

I was thinking we should have a dinner when we get engaged to announce us ready to become married but my brothers would care either way and i really dont think his parents will be thrilled about it either.. we should we just keep it quite?