To Engagement Gift or Not to Engagement Gift…

Is An Engagement Party Gift Really Necessary?

It used to be that bringing a gift to an engagement party was never expected; this celebration was held to simply acknowledge the engagement and celebrate the happy couple’s upcoming nuptials. However, times have changed; what was once customary concerning weddings is not necessarily the case for all couples.

As brides and grooms are breaking away from traditions and putting their own spin on things, you may be wondering whether or not you should expect an engagement gift, if you’re the couple being celebrated; or if you should bring a gift, if you are someone who has been invited to an engagement party.

A Gift is NOT Required

The first thing that you should know, whether you are the celebrated couple or you are attending an engagement party is that a gift is not required. An engagement party is the first of many celebrations that will occur, including the bridal shower, the bachelorette party, and ending with the wedding day.

That said, expecting guests to bring gifts is presumptuous and could come off as greedy. If you are attending an engagement party as a guest, do keep this in mind.

Should You Bring a Gift?

If you are visiting the party as a guest, even though it a gift may not be required, you may still be wondering whether or not you should bring one.

If the invitation clearly states that gifts aren’t expected, honor the couple’s wishes and don’t bring one; however, if there is no mention of gifts, what should you do? Think about past engagement parties you have been to – if you brought a gift to them, then you should probably bring one to upcoming parties. Also, if it’s customary to bring gifts to an engagement party, then yes, you probably should.

However, if you really aren’t sure what you should do, don’t hesitate to ask. Ask members of the bridal party, the parents of the bride and groom, or you can come right out and ask the couple themselves.

Gift Ideas

If you do decide that you are going to give the happy couple a gift to commemorate their engagement, you are probably wondering exactly what you should bring.

One option is to see if they have created a registry (though they may not have had the time to do so yet). If they have created a registry, you could choose to give them one of the lower priced items on the list.

If the couple hasn’t created a registry, you may be scratching your head, trying to think about what would make a good gift. You want to choose something that would be useful, but you don’t want to give them anything too elaborate (save that for the shower and the wedding). So, what can you give the happy couple? Here are some ideas to choose from:

• A personalized door knocker. Have the couple’s name inscribed on a door knocker and they can display it on the front door of the home they will share together when they wed.
• Stemware is also a great option. Consider giving them a set of matching wine glasses or champagne flutes. Have their names inscribed on them and they could technically use them on their wedding day, or you can have the date of the engagement party inscribed on them.
• Lottery tickets are an inexpensive gift that could be extremely useful. Imagine if they hit the jackpot on the lotto tickets that you give them? What a wonderful way to start their life together!
• A wedding planner would be a very useful gift for a bride and groom. This gift could serve as their guide for the entire wedding planning process.
• A bottle of champagne, which they could open on the day of the party to toast to their future is always a great idea.

In summary, if you aren’t sure whether or not you should bring a gift to an engagement party, arrive prepared. Instead of showing up empty-handed, bring something small that you could use if a gift isn’t expected.