Housewarming Party Before the Wedding?

JB2JB

My Fiance and I are getting married in May 2013 and just bought a house this month and we will be getting it ready this fall.  We'd like to have our friends and family over for a housewarming party.  Is it bad to throw this type of party before our wedding because we may be double dipping for gifts?  If people ask our parents about getting gifts, can they share our wedding registry information?

Meegles4

I don't think it's bad to do it now. If you did it next April, maybe. But they're two separate events and typically housewarming parties aren't huge gift giving events. Go for it.

Girlie1030

I see no issue except sharing the registry info.  Most HW's I've been to gifts have been more like bottles of wine or a plant, not a food processor.

Meegles4

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_housewarming-party-before-the-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:f445462a-de14-4d23-a483-25cee27616f7Post:e984b36d-7375-42a9-94e5-5d10158d9bfd">Re: Housewarming Party Before the Wedding?</a>:
[QUOTE]I see no issue except sharing the registry info.  Most HW's I've been to gifts have been more like bottles of wine or a plant, not a food processor.
Posted by Girlie1030[/QUOTE]

Agree with this. Also, whenever I've had housewarming parties, I haven't really invited my parents or my family (mostly because my extended family is all OOT). So it's mostly been friends and I can't think of why they'd ask about registry. I think if an aunt or family member asks your parents that, they can give them the registry info., but I wouldn't really expect friends to be interested in that sort of thing or even consider it since you presumably have wedding-related events like showers still on the horizon to receive those items.

ginadog

Ditto the rest - I usually just bring a bottle of wine to housewarming parties and a snack item.  I think the timing is far enough off that having a party this fall is just fine!

If someone by chance asks if you have a registry, I guess you can say, "we will for the wedding."  Or something like that.

LauraChristin

My understanding of a housewarming party is for the couple to present their home to their guests and for the guests to purchase gifts to help the couple set up the house. It is intended to be a gift giving event in my circle and absolutely asking for gifts. Since you will likely set up your home with gifts from the wedding and the proximity is relatively close, I would just have something like a BBQ at your home to celebrate the new house with your friends. I would not call it a housewarming. Although of course people are welcome to decline the invitation or come without a gift. I would never attend a housewarming without bringing a gift.

Kate61487

ditto PPs I think it's fine.  We got married in July and had a housewarming/Labor Day party (last year).  We did get a few gifts; most were plants or wine.  I think because the wedding was still on people's minds we did get a handful of BB&B gift cards (one of our registry locations) but nothing off the registry.  If people outright ask where you're registered it's absolutley fine to tell them, but I wouldn't bring it up in any way.

JB2JB

Thanks so much everyone!!! I think we'll see how long it takes us to get settled then we can have a small party to show the new house.  Another friend also suggested waiting even longer to have an official party (after the wedding) until you new house is filled with more nice things.  Then people can see their gifts in action.