Bridal Party Delimma

akhunter1

Hey ladies I need some advice!  I am in a wedding for my girlfriend,  I have 3 other weddings to attend in the next year plus I am planning for my own.  She is having a engagement party, housewarming, bridal shower, bachelorette party.  Plus the expense of my dress, shoes, etc.  Do I need to get gifts for each event including the wedding?  After looking at her registry most things are quite expensive and I am worried how I am going to be able to afford all of this.

What would you do?

SarahPLiz

I would think that the bridal shower and wedding would be the only gift giving occaisions among those.

Brie2010

I wouldn't bring anything to the engagement party or housewarming--if anything, I'd bring a bottle of wine or something small.  The point of a bridal shower is to give gifts, but if you think the things on her registry are too price you could always just get her a gift card to that store.  Wedding gifts are also not required, though they are common.

akhunter1

I should mention I was the only one that attended the engagement party without a "real" gift, I gave them a nice bottle of wine and a sweet card.  Everyone else in the wedding party had bought $100 gift cards, Kurig coffee makers, fancy stationary.  I felt awful!

demarcosjd

I would give a gift for the shower and wedding. Is it something that maybe you and another BM or guest can both chip in and split the cost of one of her gifts off of the registry? I know everyone is different but typically for the wedding I have only seen cash given.

duckie1905

In my social circle e-parties and housewarming parties are not gift-giving events.  The most I've ever shown up with was a bottle of wine.  So, I would stick to shower and wedding gifts if you can afford it.

It doesn't matter what others have done.  What matters is what you can afford.

SuMmErKuTiE

For the engagement party, if you don't want to walk in empty handed bring them a card and a bottle of champagne or wine, same thing with the house warming party. For the bridal shower I would bring a gift off the registry and for the bachelorette party, it depends.... are you going to have to chip in money? If so, then I don't see a gift being necessary. And then for the wedding,  do what you can afford whether it be a cash gift or another gift off the registry. If she's a good friend she should understand all the responsibilities you've had this year and be grateful for whatever she receives. HTH! 

BluValkyrie

I'm going to agree with everyone else; the bridal shower and the wedding are the only two times you'd maybe need to give a gift.  I say maybe because a wedding gift isn't a mandatory thing and usually it's one gift from the bridal party to the bride, something all of you chip in for; least that was what every wedding I have ever been to has done.