Gathering for both families to meet.

JefferyandShan

My fiance & I have been engaged since August 2011, but aren't getting married 'til August 2014. Our families live about an hour away from each other & have never met. We want to have some sort of party to allow our families & friends to meet one another. I don't feel like calling it an engagement party is appropriate since we've been engaged for a while & we don't expect gifts - we simply want everyone to get a chance to meet each other. My fiance & I would be covering all expenses associated with the party & we've already found a location that isn't too far for everyone to drive to. I was thinking of having the party sometime in 2013 - I don't want to do it too early in the year since the wedding is in 2014, but I don't want to do it near graduation time/summer because people will be so busy during the weekends. I don't want to have it near the holidays either, so I was thinking sometime in the Spring of 2013. I'd greatly appreciate any advice y'all have for me.

itzMS

I think it would be weird if you held like a big picnic in a park just so people could "meet each other". Sorry, but I wouldn't come if it were me.

Could you host a "holiday party" and invite all of your friends and family? One of the fun holidays...like a 4th of July Party? St Patricks Day? Cinco de Mayo? Halloween?

Anything to make it a little less...awkward...


If you want just your parents to meet, that's a little different. Arrange a meal out at a restaurant (brunch is great). That way, you don't have to worry about hostess tasks and can focus on the conversation.

JefferyandShan

Thanks for the feedback, y'all! I really appreciate it!

MartinTrombley07

(this might be too late, but...) I think it's a great idea! You should definitely go for it. I have several friends who did the same thing and it wasn't weird at all. Families like to meet each other, especially if they're close. Calling it a "meet and greet" is a good idea. 

You could also consider doing something small and simple, like just getting your two sets of parents and siblings together. Those are probably the people you don't to meet each other the most anyway, right?

Good luck getting this figured out, and congratulations! 

getaclue44

We got our parents together for a food festival we knew that they would all like.  Today we are having both families over for a cook out.  We included siblings, parents, and parents best friends.  We figured 13 days out we could all use a little down time with some food and football.  It is going to be very low key.