Engagement party, is it necessary?

[poppscc 0]

If you're gonna do it, might as well do it right. I had my dam hoi done with a film and camera crew. cost was about $80~100 and WELL WORTH IT. Few hundred pictures and a compiled dvd fully edited with music, slideshows, and videos. Both families loved the video, and mine has watched it at least 5 separate occasions.

I had catering service provide seating and food(cooked on spot)/drinks for 80 people, which cost about $800. The cost of the pig was $70 bux. You can settle for less fancy, but overall, under 1K for dam hoi is a sweet deal.

[AustinJohn 2]

If you're gonna do it, might as well do it right. I had my dam hoi done with a film and camera crew. cost was about $80~100 and WELL WORTH IT. Few hundred pictures and a compiled dvd fully edited with music, slideshows, and videos. Both families loved the video, and mine has watched it at least 5 separate occasions.

I had catering service provide seating and food(cooked on spot)/drinks for 80 people, which cost about $800. The cost of the pig was $70 bux. You can settle for less fancy, but overall, under 1K for dam hoi is a sweet deal.

That's about the same price as mine (<$1000). I was only one from my family there. It was NOT "weird". My fiancee's cousin and husband filled in as representatives of my family (they are the one's who introduced us to each other). In the ceremony, when I first saw my fiancee in her Ao Dai, I remember thinking, "Wow, she is beautiful."

My fiancee was very happy with the whole thing and I found it very interesting. I was very puzzled at times during the ceremony because I didn't know what was going on. I went along with it and let my fiancee and her family guide me through it. All in all, it was great!

[Sinh & Lien 0]

Hey,

Man i wish i was around when you posted this. I only started reading up on your post because you sent me an email. Anyways, the first thing that jumped out at me was what you said in your original post. You said that you weren't planning on getting married for 2-3 years from now. Well, if this K1 visa goes through, and she reaches the USA, you have 90 days to get married, so i don't know how you plan on doing that? 6-9 months from now she will get a visa, let say she stays in Vietnam for close to the 3 months the visa is valid for that is still only a year, you have 90 days to get married when she enters the USA.....do you see where i am going with this? So think about it and let me know....

Also, for my case, i DID NOT have a "dam hoi" when i sent my I-129F, STILL DID NOT have it when my wife went for the interview...so it goes back to what i said to you in my first post to your first post, it's all about convincing them that you are for real and that starts with a good story. For my case, i explain the circumstance that we met and that my parents met with her parents (get to know each other) and that was about it, i didn't even have pictures of that meeting. However, what i did in my case was, i did see her twice before i sent in my package. I met her in summer '05 went back again in winter '05 and then sent in the paperwork august '06 and then i went back in winter '06, she got interview in spring '07 i went back to do "dam hoi" and get married summer '07 (now she is here with me). We did not even have a lot of pictures from each of my visits. I mean, when you are for real, you just don't care too much as long as you know you're for real and every thing will take care of itself. The reason why i sound so confident is that i believe in your case (story) i think it works. But others will think that it's fake, so think from that angle, what about your story may lead people to think that you're fake....So you have to prove that your relationship with a former friend/treat-like-cousin turned boyfriend/girlfriend is for real (beyond a reasonable doubt). These things happen in life and not just in the movies, so when you develop your feelings for this girl, how did it happen?????????? I can't imagine one morning you woke up and it happened....I will check your other posts to see if i can help...

[chuckandkim 0]

My vote: Go for it!

[Guy&Hoa 0]

Yes, do it, I did it. It was worth it, my fiancee and her family were honored, she said it was important in her life as a Vietnamese woman and the icing on the cake is that it can only help you for your interview and not hurt you.

Guy&Hoa

[visao 1]

I heard some peeps would pass the interview without engagement party! As long as you have other proofs: emails, hand-written letters, cards, phone bills, pictures of you two together...it will be O.K. I also heard that a lot of peeps DID have engagement party (but fake), but no other proofs would fail the interview. So they know who is real and who is fake at the interview. If you had an engagement party, does not mean you will pass! FYI-

[chuckandkim 0]

what peeps are they?

[NeverSeen 0]

what peeps are they?

Dem my peeps!

As long as you have other proofs: emails, hand-written letters, cards, phone bills, pictures of you two together...it will be O.K. I also heard that a lot of peeps DID have engagement party (but fake), but no other proofs would fail the interview.

I'm pretty sure its common knowledge around here (VJ) that there is no single piece of evidence they are ultimately looking for, but your case as a whole. Every couple has a different background, and they've seen them all. If something may help, why not do it? The more the ammo the better. It will make the case more believable to the CO if you do have a party as one of your evidences. Not to mention it's an absolute blast (AND DIRT CHEAP!).

[Lovemyhuegirl 0]

Yes, absolutely have one and take your parents too if you can!