How important are engagement parties?

I would say a lot of couples do not have engagement parties.

We didn't have one. It just wasn't important to me but that's just me.

Most people on this site will tell you that it's customary for someone else to host this for you.

I don't think they're that important (no one I know has had one), but I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to throw your own.

Not that important. We didn't have one. But I guess if your families haven't met before, this would be nice. But you shouldn't throw one for yourself. They are usually thrown by your parents.

In my opinion I don't think they are that important. We had one only because someone hosted for us. It was really fun & we actually took some engagement pictures then. If someone didn't host it though I wouldn't have hosted my own.

Hopefully you guys can figure out what to do

Didn't have one and no one I know has every had and engagement party

We had one because FMIL threw us one- they're big in D's family. No one in my family had ever had one before. Also, you don't throw one for yourselves.

Doesn't sound like your issue is really whether engagement parties are important, but rather that you are frustrated with your fiancée.

Engagement parties aren't necessary or very important.

Etiquette wise, you shouldn't throw your own engagement party, someone else would choose to host it for you, in your honor. Most people will bring gifts, and it's rude to celebrate yourself in such a way it obligates others to spend money and bring gifts.

It is also an etiquette faux paux to invite anyone to an engagement party that won't be invited to the wedding. So think hard about your guest list before deciding on who to invite for an engagement party.

Both of these etiquette rules will also apply to any other pre-wedding celebration: showers, and bachelorette and bachelor parties

My mom has offered to hold one at her house, but it's too small. FH's family won't be able to make it, as they live out of state.

We are having our engagement party in two weeks at our church which has a pavillion. It's going to be really relaxed they have a volleyball net so we are going to play that and just cook out and enjoy!

Not necessary! You're going to be celebrating your engagement by getting married lol

Not important - they're just a fun extra celebration! Actually only 25% of couples have an engagement party.

https://publications.weddingwire.com/i/795912-weddingwire-2017-newlywed-report

My parents hosted an engagement party for us and we absolutely loved it. It was the best way to celebrate our engagement with everyone since we had a couple years until the wedding. If it's becoming stressful though, I wouldn't worry about it. You shouldn't have to throw your own and worry about any costs associated, it is supposed to be thrown by the parents to celebrate their child's engagement

I've never been to one hosted by the couple- but then again out of the dozen weddings I've been to only one- I don't think a lot of couples don't have one

#1- we didn't have an engagement party, and I don't think they're that important. But if you really want one, drop hints to your mom or someone else close to you. Then maybe they'll throw you one at their house.

But #2, just in general, if you wait until your house feels "perfect" to invite people over, you never will. I felt that way for a long time, but then finally bit the bullet and just threw a party. Houses never feel "done."

We've been invited to around 25 weddings, in the last 5 years. I can't remember being invited to a single engagement party; I was in 3 wedding parties and my husband even more.

Just another money suck ...

We didn't have one

Depending on how many people you plan on inviting you could always just do a meet up somewhere. We got engaged right before our birthdays which are two weeks apart from each other. We threw a joint birthday party/engagement party shindig. It was just inviting friends out to our neighborhood bar and we supplied pizza and cupcakes. For what it's worth, we live far away from our family and best friends. Throw a party and do whatever works for you. No one cares who is throwing the party.

That money can go toads the weeding