Engagement Party and then Hen Party

paddyann54 Never heard of a show of presents. What a faff!

We met in 1969, got engaged in 1970, married in 1971. Didn't have an engagement party. I just had my two friends who were bridesmaids round the night before, not my future sister-in-law who was also bridesmaid, that was my hen night! No party. Better nowadays when people have a hen party well before the wedding day, especially if people drink too much and ruin the day! They do go really over the top though going abroad etc. Crazy when you think of the cost of most weddings. I was 18 when we met and he was 22. Married at 20 and 24. As Les Dawson said "I remember my wedding as if it was only yesterday. I wish it was tomorrow, I'd cancel it!"

Damn! FGS lets have an edit option! That went before I intended it to. I stuck it for 25 years, far far too long. He was a control freak. I was glad to be out of it.

Sarnia Same here!

No engagement parties, no hen do's and no honeymoons either! I married twice, only the actual weddings. In hindsight I feel a bit miffed about no honeymoons with either of them, lol 😆

Engagement party was huge. We worked for the NHS and Police. Loads of colleagues. Also involved in voluntary organisations, loads of friends. Hen and stag parties were a few friends out for a meal a week before the wedding. Wedding party similar to engagement party. All paid for by us but done on a budget courtesy of colleagues and friends.

Didn't have an engagement let alone a ring or party! We'd been living together for over a year and been together for 2 years. We were talking about having children and were trying for a baby. He didn't believe in unmarried parents I didn't care about that. When I got pregnant he met me at his mum's house after work.
The proposal:-
He said " What are you doing in 3 Saturdays time?"
Me "Nothing special why?
Him pointing to his mum's calendar " Don't make any arrangements as we're getting married on ...
Me "No"
Him "it's all booked"
No proposal, no ring, nothing.
I said no because we had both been married before and it hadn't worked out. I was very happy living with him and didn't want it to change like it had with my first marriage.
But I did marry him and we've been together ever since. I was 23 then.

Married at52 Didnt have an engagement party got married 12weeks later I had 2 hen parties one with local friends and neighbours at home snd one with Irish friends Moh and I travelled there

If you are part of a circle of close friends and there are hen parties and weddings in rather quick succession - doesn't this become a tad expensive?

I remember reading about a spat between one friend of a bride to be who was expected to attend the hen party - abroad - being chastised because she said she couldn't afford it, and she'd also used up all her work holiday allowance meaning she would have to take unpaid leave. IIRC, her own wedding was on the horizon too, so she probably could've done without this extra expense.

Parties, hen/stag events, and weddings are now so commoditised (and IMO somewhat devalued in the process) that doing-it-yourself might possibly make a come-back as the cost of living soars.

Today life is a competition, who can outdo who, people are dumbing down

Married after six months of meeting in 1977, no hen or engagement parties, 13 including us at wedding 1 night in a hotel reception at the in-laws house
Still married

We were art students in the 70s - mostly skint like a lot of people were at the time! No parties but a lovely wedding organised by my parents in the garden of their country home. Then dancing at the local pub. The ring was an old Victorian one which we picked out of a cardboard box at Victoria Station Lost Property. I loved it and wore it until a few years ago when my hand got too arthritisy and had to get it cut off at the fire station!

We were art students in the 70s and skint like most people were at the time. No parties but a lovely country wedding in my parents garden, then dancing in the pub with all our mates. My wedding ring was old Victorian, very pretty, and we chose it from a cardboard box at the Victoria Station Lost Property office. It cost 10/- (50p) I loved it and wore it until my hands developed arthritis, then had it cut off by the local fire brigade!

when we got engaged we had a party at my parents house. The week before we got married was my hens night, work mates dressed me up, walked me home stopped the traffic so I could jump over a potty filled with. salt, tin of talc ,nappy pins baby's dummies, in the middle of the main street..this was 1960's. don't think it's heard of now...probably a health and safety issue now..

Sorry for two messages, I thought I’d accidentally deleted the first one 🙄

Neither. 😱

We did get engaged, but there was no party and no hen or stag do either. We had very little money. Mum masterminded the whole wedding and told us how many friends we were allowed to invite. I dont remember being very bothered. We were mainly interested in leaving as soon as it was decent to do so and going off in our Morris 1000 (bought second hand for 50 quid) to Scotland.

First marriage, no engagement party but I did have a hen night at Cinderella Rockerfella in Leeds Merrion Centre with a few girlfriends. Marriage lasted 6 years.
Second time, didn’t get engaged or have a hen night but we’ve been happily married 38 years.

Parents were not interested, spent everything on my sister.

No engagement or hen party, wedding organised by his mother.

I was 19 he was 20, but we are 54 years in.

No - neither . 51 yrs ago