What's with the big E-parties?

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

well my fam LOVESS parties so i had a big one that sorta turned into a mini wedding but we had an amazinggg time and it was defff worth it

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

I posted a similar post when I first joined LIW. It seems like everyone is having a second wedding as an e-party sometimes. You are definitely not alone though!! I don't see the point or why it's necessary..

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

We didn't have one either. My family is the type that gets all insulted if they're not invited, so it's always an all-or-nothing deal. My FH and I are low key and opted for the 'nothing' over the 'all'! We had a few little get-togethers so our immediate extended families (aunts, uncles, grandparents) could meet.

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

That's so funny because I really want one since my wedding is about 2 years away. But I'm not going to thrown one for ourselves. It will definitely cost money that I'd rather just put towards the wedding. My FMIL made a comment when we 1st got engaged that if they still lived up here, (they moved to Florida a year 1/2 ago) that they would throw one for us...ok thanks..haha I'm not trying to be a brat but I feel like they should offer something even towards the wedding! I want to have one to celebrate our Engagement & kind of have a pre-party for the wedding. I have gone to so many that I feel like I wish we could have one. My family is saving & doing enough for the actual wedding that I can't expect it from them. I guess it doenst matter to everyone & some don't even want one but I really do.

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

We had an e-party at The Club at The Metropolitan in Glen Cove. Between both our families it was too many people to have it at either of our parents' houses. It was a Sunday afternoon cocktail party. More than anything we really wanted our families to meet, and our bridal party as well. We got engaged in March 2008, and my now SIL got engaged 2 weeks later. It was a bunch of drama, anyway she ended up getting married right away, Sep 2008. The week after her wedding my grandfather passed away, then the holidays, etc. and before we knew it, it was 2009 and none of our family or friends had ever met. So we had an e-party in February so all could get together and get to know each other a little before the wedding. Everyone had a great time. We did get a bunch of gifts that was completely unexpected, because we had told everyone NO GIFTS PLEASE, but they still got gifts. I paid for the cp's because I wanted them, and the candy jars we did as favors. My parents paid for the party. I think it's just different strokes for different folks. Like ttdiff said, her family likes to throw parties! What works for some doesn't work for all, no one should feel obligated to throw some kind of party. Although in certain circles it's almost expected. I've been to a handful of engagement parties.

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

Our engagement will have been only 6 months so it just wasn't a long enough amount of time that we thought we had to celebrate our engagement separate from the wedding. No one even ever mentioned the possibility of an eparty to us (family or otherwise) and we never contemplated it ourselves.

You have to do what works for your own particular situation when it comes to wedding and wedding-related planning. It's great to get tips, advice, and help from other brides on here, but generally speaking, you should always go with what YOU want in the end and what feels natural to you.

From what I remember, your FH's family is far away (as are you!) so it's just not feasible to cause that kind of expense. Don't feel like you're missing out on something you should be doing -- just concentrate on enjoying and planning the things that matter most to you!

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

we had an e-party at the Milelridge Inn Carriage house because we are having a 2 year engagement and wanted to celebrate with our families. We only invited family and the bridal party and it still came out to 100 people. but that is what i wanted.

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

we didn't have anything elaborate, we had about 60 of our close family at a restaurant on a saturday afternoon.. no dj or anything. i just wanted our families to get a chance to meet.

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

my e-party was a gift from my parents. we invited about 110 people and 85-90 showed. it was my parents idea since they had done it for my older brother. any monetary gifts made were for us to keep, which was part of the reason i think my parents wanted to give us the party as well, to help us out with paying for the wedding.

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

we did have a big eparty, but we each come from HUGE families. i loved our party though it was a blast!

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

I didn't want one either, but my grandpa insisted so I wanted to make him happy. We sent out invites but it was small about 65 people and we didn't invite everyone who we were going to be having at the wedding. It was in a party room at a restaurant and it was buffet style. Nothing fancy, it was nice though but then I look at these ones thrown in wedding halls and to me I think it's a bit much. I've only been to one other engagement party in my life.

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

Mine was big b/c FH and I have Big Italian Families. It wasn't a mini wedding at all. Just a simple cocktail party with cocktail food and an open bar. To be honest with you, the party for us was not that expensive, and we got the chance to celebrate with all of our family and close friends. We didn't do favors, we didn't even ask for gifts, we just wanted our family and friends to celebrate our engagement. We wanted the close families and friends to meet since we all will be spending so much time together.

That was the main reason for my E-party. I had a blast, my relatives still talk about it, and I would totally do it again in a heartbeat.

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

We are actually having our E-Party this Saturday at FH's parents house and having in partially catered and partially home cooked by my side of the family (love my Italian family's cooking!!). Fh has a small family, while I have a large one, and we wanted to get them together to meet before the wedding. We aren't including any friends, but just the bridesmaids and groomsmen (although, only 3 of them can come - so it is pretty much just family only). It will be a casual backyard BBQ party - which I am excited about because I love family parties at home! Only about 50 people will be there...

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

I didn't have a e-party. After making the guest list for the wedding we realized that our eparty would be about 100 people (immediate family and bridal party + their spouses) and we couldn't afford both events.

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

FH's parent's offered to throw us an e-party, but my parents are not into the idea at all. My mom feels it's like asking people for gifts. I don't agree, but she refused to invite anyone from our side, so we opted not to have one. I haven't really been to too many though - only a few of my friends have had them.

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

Re: What's with the big E-parties?

My friend who got married two years ago had one, but no one else I know had a large one like she did. FH and I invited our close family and BP (with their SOs) and took them to a nice lunch on a Sunday. No invitations, no favors, just celebrating with our nearest and dearest. I don't think you will find that you are alone in this!

ETA that by close family and BP+guests, we totaled just about 30 people. I am reading some of these posts about inviting immediate family and having 80 guests! I can't even imagine!

Re: What's with the big E-parties?