Should we still have an engagement party?

I got engaged in May of 2020. Getting married in April 2022 in PR (I live in NY but have fam from both places). My parents wanted to throw us an engagement party so we decided to have one right before the wedding for guests who may not be able to attend the wedding.

I think it's nice but it is definitely NOT a must. If you're the one footing the bill, I would put those funds towards the wedding or your honeymoon.

Countless people don't have engagement parties. Save your money for a rainy day.

You can have a party with your families anytime you want, it doesn’t have to be about your engagement. I would probably pass on an engagement party a year and a half after the proposal.

I recommend losing the money and having a virtual party

I agree with Michelle. Engagement parties aren't necessary and you can have other opportunities for families to meet. We skipped out on having one.

I would pass on the engagement party since you're so far into your engagement already. They also aren't necessary, so don't feel like you HAVE to have one!

We didn't have one, because the party would've been 6 months into our engagement, and we felt like that was just too far into it to have one!

With long engagements, an engagement party is often given a year to 9 months before the actually wedding. It is years later,
and when one was given or not at the actual engagement, a lot of people change over 3-4 years. If you have one in 2022 for your 2023 wedding, after you have made up your wedding guest list, you and everyone else will be excited again. People won't think you gift grabby, because usually gifts are not given at engagement parties. Family heirlooms, like Grandmas jewelry , or real silver, are the only gifts, from family. And people bring hostess gifts.

Is someone also planning you a bridal shower? I feel a Bridal Shower would be more appropriate with this time frame and also allow both sides of the family to meet before the wedding.

I feel a year after engagement is a little long after (even if it was because of something you can't control like COVID) my moms planning us an engagement party in the Spring when A) most of us will be vaccinated and B) we can sit outside but we just got engaged on Christmas.

Also, an engagement party isn't really where you get gift gifts if that makes sense, to me an engagement party if for little gifts not big ones off your registry.