thpinkpussycat

Sorry I'm going to rant.........

The leaving party is giving me sleepless nights!!

For a start never thought it would cost so much – the cost of hiring somewhere, disco and food I am looking at £500 plus!!! :scared:
And then when it’s mentioned to some family members they say “well so-and-so would come because they have a busy social life, or so-and-so won’t want to come all that way!�
There also the fact once we are out of the house we will have a month or so staying with my parents in Bridlington and Iain’s in Chester so they are saying we’ll doing something when go to them!!!!!!!!!!!

Wants the point in spending all that money if half your family won’t come!

I am at the stage where I’m thinking it would be lovely to complete on the house and get a flight for the next day and not tell anyone!! Just ring them from the airport!!

Okay rant over

surfdude

Just go with the flow....have as many 'parties' or 'get togethers' as people want to throw. Try to relax and enjoy. As we Aussies say "no worries".
Hope everything goes well

moneypenny20

Families - who'd have 'em? Think of the cost as just one more fee to pay out for the visa. You won't have to do it again Invite everyone, you will probably find that most people will come - we had more turn up than were invited but have to say all hubby's family turned up from all over the country but my mother who lives in the same town huffed a bit and when she arrived didn't speak to ANYONE except her brother. My MIL and FIL asked me if she was ok - told them yup usual behaviour.

Regardless of what crap gets thrown now, you will have a ball and fab memories to take with you. You can only do so much.

Good luck with staying with the families for a month :scared: over my dead body personally

Bhoywonder

Cost of leaving party. We were roughly the same as yourself £500 went pretty quickly.

Have the party as it's the best thing we done. Doesn't matter who comes and who doesn't. It just gives you a good idea of who your real friends are.

I am sure you will be fine and only when you are gone will people realise what effect you had on their lives.

A lot of people become jealous and hence the reactions.

parkhigh

Hi
Ive just booked our party the hall £115, disco about £100, magician for the kids £85 plus food, yep £500 is near on.
Alot of our friends have suggested that they each bring a plate and some drink really a byo party as we also will be living with the inlaws and it will be hard to prepare food for all.
Were going to invite alot of our friends so if the family dont want to come fine by me!

I think if you dont do it you will regret it, it will complete a chapter in your life to enable you to start a new one!
take care
Irene

flip

We'd decided to wait until after daughter's birthday party (which was to be held at a local leisure centre) before we came over. It wasn't long till we decided to combine her birthday party with a leaving party.

Did the catering ourselves except that many friends supplied bits and helped lay everything out. Incredible friend made us cake with map of Australia, you are here and jet plane on it. Staff opened bar for £20 wages so people bought own drinks. Entertainer kept mix of kids from 2 - 13 happy for two hours and everyone who mattered turned up.

It was a very special event, only cried for a few minutes and was the best way of saying goodbye. We saw many people on many occasions over the time but to have a party a couple of days before we left the Midlands was fab. My family didn't come from Manchester and only a few non-locals turned up but the idea was to say goodbye to home and every day friends (particularly the families).

Continued to stay with friends for just a couple of days so it wasn't the final farewell and could enjoy it to the full without worries about packing, closing up house, etc.

So just do it, even if it's in the back garden and if people have to bring their own food and bottles - I would recommend the entertainer though - give yourselves time to talk to your friends.

Alan & Sonia

We have "downgraded" our leaving party to a ...we are leaving and having a few drinks if you want to come, we have enough on our plate without trying to convince/meither people to come.
Those who come...good friends....those who don't...make your own mind up.
If you send out formal invites people will only whinge if you forget them...what's the point...lifes too short

Aus4us

This is our new plan too!!!!

It is not my ideal way to do it but at the end of the day we had similar problems as you have had with people all over the place and trying to accomodate them.

You are right you do have enough with out worrying about who wants this or that!! This is about you spending time with people who can and will make the effort to come and spend some time with you before you go!!!

Have a great time and enjoy yourselves!!!

Roni

TheRossers

Why not do what we are doing. Our leaving party is tonight, and I've just told evrybody to meet us at a certain pub (Number 15 or Bar 15 as it's known locally, in Chorley if anyone is interested) at 19:00 and they can say goodbye then. We thought about booking a hall and throwing a big party but then thought what if nobody comes, won't we look stupid.

So, easy (yes I know, and cheap) option is do it that way. Then if people don't want to come we can have a quiet drink with the few real friends who do!

<")))><

Absolutely....no leaving party for us, far too formal. Instead a few beers in the pub, and take over the local Indian curryhouse. Only the people I'd want to be there will show up anyway - nice politically-correct family filter I call it.

Good luck with it, hope all goes well.

Alan & Sonia

We may turn up ourselves...we only live in Tarleton...just down the road...LOL...if not have a for us.
Good Luck

coxfamuk

It didn't even occur to us to hire a place (we're not spending money that we will need in Oz for our family and friends, if anything they should be spending on us ). When the time comes for us to leave, we are going to just tell everyone to meet us at some or other pub, or we may have a BBQ at home (we are a bit of a die-hard lot and even BBQ during winter ), but we certainly wouldn't hire and get caterers. Also, those that turn up are true friends, those that don't aren't (and if they can't come due to distance/commitments, etc, then I am sure they will make the effort to come and see you before you leave).

Good luck with it all and some karma for you.

Sarah

TheRossers

More than welcome to come along even if it's just we can say look here's another BE member looking to get away from here
I think it will be more like

Just in case nobody has come accross this before if you try and use more than 5 smilies in one go it complains "You have included too many images in your signature or in your previous post. Please go back and correct the problem and then continue again."

karenjc

Hi Sam
Just remember the party - if you have one - is 4 u!!
SOD everyone else, remember you can't please all of the people all of the time so I say just please yourself.
We found a social club for £90, disco £90 and did the food between the families e.g. my mom did the sandwiches, Daz's mom did other stuff etc. etc.
We invited everyone we know and if they came they came if not so what - I must admit all the people I would have loved to have seen (friends I grew up with in wolverhampton) didn't turn up and none of my extended family either but we had a fantastic night and loved every minute.
If you want one go for it!
Karen x

Anne4Terry

EXACTLY the same behaviour as my mother at my daughter's (her grandaughter) wedding reception last year!!!! Selfish f*ucking bitch My daughter didn't deserve crap like that on her special day.

As to the thread. I have been telling people that we are not planning a party as we have too much to do as it is. That way if someone wants to throw a *surprise* party and save me all the work then that is fine