From the moment a person says ‘I do’, and your invite drops through the door, the expenses start rolling in! From bachelor/bachelorette parties, to the wedding day gift not to mention your new dress, your shoes and your hair, weddings are expensive events to attend. Before you know it, you’ve quickly realised you can afford to survive on bread and water alone for the next year. But with many new traditions and expectations of a wedding coming across the pond to Ireland, are engagement party gifts really necessary?
Consider first, the formality of the event. If your ecstatic friend has texted you the news and ordered immediate celebratory drinks down the local, an engagement present may not be required. Although, when you do arrive at the celebrations at the pub, remember to at least buy the happy couple a congratulatory drink!
If the couple are lucky enough to afford to splash out on formal invites and a far grander venue in which to host, bringing a gift is almost a certainty. There’s nothing worse than being the only guest to arrive sans-present!
Your own personal budget must be taken into consideration though. If you're attending a wedding, the costs add up at an alarming rate and splashing out on an expensive engagement gift on top of everything else, may stretch your budget that little bit too far.
A lot of couples create a gift registry, which is a fantastic guideline as to what they wish to receive as a married couple. But if the items listed are out of your price range, don’t panic. A reasonably priced bottle of champagne is not too far wrong or if you’re really nifty with your hands, making a heartfelt keepsake of the couples big day to display in their home will be a heartfelt, memorable gift to present.
- Michelle Storey
Image credits: Save the date: Nattnee Photography via Confetti Day Dreams | Chalkboard: Polka Dot Bride | Engagement chalkboard: Wedd Book | Spoons: Etsy | Countdown sign: Pinterest | Gift box: The Fruitful Wife | Engagement photo: Polka Dot Bride