Are engagement party gifts necessary or expected?
My very good friend is having an engagement party. I have never been to one before and am not sure if I need to take a gift?
Well a huge congratulations are in order to your good friend Emma. I bet that they are super excited. A really good friend wouldn’t be offended if you turned up to an engagement party empty handed. However, to put your mind at ease, it isn’t usual practice to attend with engagement party gifts.
Personally I think that your cash would be best spend towards a more impressive wedding gift. But if you really do want to take something with you, then perhaps a wedding planner diary or a dated/personalised bottle of champagne. This is then something that you could drink together on the day, or the bride could sip on whilst getting ready on her day. Don’t overdo it though – they might then expect the world for a wedding gift!
Alternatively, you could organise a day for you and the bride, or for you and the groom. Whichever is your close friend! Or a day for all of you to enjoy, if you are all friends, in advance of the wedding. You could then take a card to the engagement party listing the details of your pre-wedding day out. Something like a gin masterclass, cinema trip or spa date are all quite relaxing but fun things to do in the run up to a wedding.
Also, if a couple expects gifts, they ask for them. Wedding gift lists are pretty common, and you are made aware of them long in advance of the wedding. If your friends were expecting engagement party gifts, they would have added it onto there invitations! You don’t get what you don’t ask for.
Enjoy the party…