engagement ideas

How To Plan An Engagement Party?

We've officially entered wedding and proposal time! The wedding festivities need to get going now. A celebration of engagement is a wonderful opportunity to inform loved ones of the happy news and bring everyone together to rejoice in the upcoming marriage.

If this is your first time hosting an engagement party, you may be wondering what to do in terms of etiquette. We spoke to Heather Lowenthal, a professional party planner, to get her advice and help with the guest list, invites, presents, and everything else.

To begin with, best wishes! What wonderful news for you and your significant other! Now that you've gotten the proposal out of the way, it's time to focus on something else that matters: the engagement party. Even though you wouldn't want the engagement party to overshadow the wedding, it's a fantastic chance to hone your event management skills. You'll need to do a lot of the same things that you would for a major event: choose a location, pick a date, make an invite list, send out invites, settle on a meal, and set a budget.

Don't know how to get things going or what to do first? Have no fear; we've got all the info you need to know about when and how to have an engagement bash. If you follow these simple instructions, you will soon be sharing your good news with your closest friends and family.

Who Hosts The Engagement Party?

Although the parents of the bride traditionally host the engagement party, anybody may do so nowadays. Some married couples even want to host a party in honour of their union.

When Should An Engagement Party Be Hosted?

When you become engaged, Lowenthal advises you to celebrate as soon as possible. Spreading out the celebrations is a good idea since there will be more events held in your honour in the future. A little delay is not a big deal if your engagement is longer or you can't go home immediately.

Who Should You Invite To An Engagement Party?

You must invite everyone who is invited to your engagement party, just like you did for your bachelor/bachelorette parties and showers. Whether you and your future spouse or your parents will be hosting the engagement party, this is important to remember.

Must I Send Formal Invitations?

The formality of your invites for the engagement party should reflect the formality of the occasion. Paper invites are classy and perfect for a formal dinner if you have some time to plan beforehand. Taking it easy? Choose an e-invitation with a fun, lighthearted tone. Evites are convenient since you may choose a formal style for a more sophisticated engagement party from among many available possibilities.

Does The Invitation Need To Include Registry Information?

It's OK to create a register for visitors who would want to bring presents to your engagement party, but it's inappropriate to include registration information in the invitation. Instead, you should depend on word of mouth or post links to your register on your wedding website. Keep in mind that although it is expected, it is not necessary to bring presents to the engagement party.

Are Several Engagement Parties Possible?

It's very uncommon for a couple to have more than one engagement party, particularly if the groom and the bride are from separate cities or live far away from each other. In a casual setting, such as an after-work drink with friends or coworkers, you may safely invite a bigger group without fear of social embarrassment.

Is It Possible To Combine The Engagement Party With A Holiday Or A Birthday?

No matter when you get engaged—Christmas, summer, or winter—you can always combine your celebrations into one big event. Avoid scheduling anything major around major holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving, or around dates like Valentine's Day, when people will want to spend time with their loved ones.

When Should Parents Meet For The First Time?

The mood won't be right for the engagement celebration. They should have an opportunity to sit down and have a heart-to-heart at their initial encounter if possible.

The Following Advice Will Help You Arrange Your Engagement Celebration.

Determine Who Will Be The Host.

Planning an engagement bash? Just do it! Hosts are traditionally the bride's parents, although in modern times, anybody close to the couple, or even many hosts (such as both sets of parents), is acceptable. When it comes to organising an engagement bash, there is no one correct approach. Multiple engagement parties organised by various persons are likewise acceptable. Don't feel pressured to arrange a party in the same style as your parents if you'd rather have a more relaxed get-together with your pals. If you and your partner are from different cities, it may also make sense to have a joint celebration. Whoever volunteers to host should bear in mind that they will likely be responsible for sending out invitations, giving a toast, and footing the bill for the event.

Choose A Location

Strategic placement is essential. In case no one is available to organise the engagement party at their house, you may want to start looking at nearby restaurants and pubs. All of your guests will appreciate something that is easy to find and spacious enough to accommodate everyone you've invited. Finding a venue that also provides food and drink is helpful if you want to cut out part of the preparation work.

There is a lot of leeway in terms of size and formality when it comes to selecting a location for an engagement party. Your favourite restaurant probably has a private dining room, but a party at your house or in your aunt's garden is a nice low-key alternative as well.

Choose A Theme

In spite of the fact that the event has a clear focus (congratulating the couple on their upcoming wedding), you may find it necessary to add an additional layer of holiday cheer. There's no need to go all out with a pirate or masquerade theme, but the party should have its own feel. Don't give up hope until you've checked the weather. What to wear to an engagement party in the middle of winter. You might have your party in a cosy lodge or restaurant and serve hot toddies. If it's summer, enjoy the nice weather while you can; we only receive a limited amount of it each year. Decide on a campfire party with s'mores bars and local beer.

The theming of the engagement party may be as elaborate or straightforward as the host desires. It's a party, so set the mood whatever you wish. Choose a style that speaks to you, whether it an all-white setting, sleek sophistication, or earthy blooms.

Make A Guest List For Your Engagement Celebration.

It is the couple's celebration, so have a conversation with them before making your ideal guest list. Find out whether they're hoping for a small, close-knit gathering, or a huge bash with everyone from high school buddies to their current boss. When making the guest list, keep in mind the cost of the party and the capacity of the location you want to use. Advice: if they aren't on the guest list for the wedding, they shouldn't be invited to the engagement party, either.

If you find out that you have invited more than 200 people to your wedding, it's a good thing that your loved ones are willing to let you sleep on their couches until you've paid off the costs. Since the guest list for a wedding is often smaller than for an engagement party, your engagement party is a great way to include more people in the festivities who couldn't make it on your actual wedding day.

Gather Contact Details For Guests

Having compiled a list of potential attendees, the next step is to determine the most effective means of contacting them. You may use our wedding guest list tool to send out emails, Facebook messages, or texts to everyone on your list, asking for their postal address. In addition to preparing you to send out invitations to the engagement party, this will also aid the couple as they plan their future wedding by providing them with a convenient way to notify guests of important dates.

Style The Invitations To Your Engagement Celebration.

The invitations to the engagement party should not be as solemn as the save the date cards. Experiment with different hues, types of typefaces, layouts, and patterns to create something that the engaged couple will love. Even if you're not very handy around the house, you'll find plenty of ideas for DIY projects on Etsy. Does this seem too stuffy for your crew? In today's technologically advanced world, sending an electronic invitation is quite acceptable. You should make it clear on the invitation that this is not a wedding shower and that visitors should not bring presents (you could even write "no gifts specifically please").

Since the advent of social media, it has become more difficult to RSVP to a party invitation without making a significant time commitment. Both electronic and snail mail invitations may help spread the word about your event and ensure that everyone is aware of it. While interacting with millennials is a breeze because to social media, they are notoriously unreliable as event attendees. The physical invitations will be appreciated by your elderly relatives and will serve as a second reminder to the younger guests.

Be Timely

Avoid having a lot of partygoers bail on you at the last minute. Invite people to your party at least three to six weeks before the event. This will allow individuals to plan ahead and schedule time off from work or attend to other matters.

So that everyone may still be excited about the news and before the serious business of wedding planning begins to set in, the engagement party should be held no later than three months following the announcement. Even better, why not break the news amid the celebration? There is no better way to leave your guests talking about your big day than a surprise engagement.

Formal Or Informal?

Even while cocktail and canapé receptions are all the rage at the moment, they are by no means the only kind of party you can have. You may try something different like a romantic supper, a long, leisurely meal, or a brunch. Just remain in touch with your visitors so they know what to expect and may come prepared. A Facebook event or website that encourages participation from attendees is a great way to set the tone for a more relaxed party. If your event is more formal, like a wedding, make sure everyone knows ahead of time so there are no surprises.

It's important to dress appropriately for the kind of party you're attending. You don't have to wear all white if that's not your thing; we approve of a flowery design with a white background or a pastel palette, for example. The clothes your date wears should match yours and the occasion.

Prepare Your Menu.

A light lunch is best for an engagement party since the focus should be on socialising. What they need is a buffet or cocktail snacks (which won't break the money, which is always a bonus). Choose an appetiser or light plated dinner if you want to impress. Before finalising the menu, you should find out if any of your guests have any food allergies and make sure to include vegetarian and vegan choices.

Food should always be provided with alcoholic beverages. Passed appetisers or a spread of meats, cheeses, and crudités are perfect for a night spent sipping drinks. Are you guys having a get-together in the backyard? Bring all of your barbeque favourites. Placing the food on plates is a lovely gesture if the evening will be more formal, but it is not necessary to serve a lengthy five-course dinner with wine pairings.

Prepare Drinks And Mocktails.

Remember to supply the bar with drinks and mocktails; without these, the party would lack a certain something. It's important to have enough wine, spirits, and sparkling wine on hand for toasts. It's also a good idea to have the bartender brew up a specialty drink with a clever name (maybe something related to the marriage) and a selection of the guests' personal tastes.

Make A Great Playlist.

It's safe to assume that you wouldn't want utter silence during your event. Although now is not the time to hire a full band for your engagement party, you can still make it a memorable event by playing a great selection of music. To find out what music the pair like listening to together, you may make a playlist. Keep in mind that your grandparents and children may be listening, so avoid using a lot of foul language or sex references.

Toasts & Gifts

Some people don't know what to expect from an engagement party. There is less of an emphasis on having toasts during an engagement party than there is at a bridal shower or rehearsal dinner. That said, a toast would be fantastic if you'd want to make one. If the host proposes a toast, everyone else should feel obliged to respond in kind.

There is no need for guests to feel pressured to purchase a present for the engaged couple. However, not everyone is comfortable coming unprepared. They may bring a little present for your newly engaged pals or a sign of appreciation for you as the host or hostess. As host, you should accept the present with gratitude and display it on a table. Don't take as much time as you would at a shower opening all of the presents. The pair should just take whatever is left over at the end of the evening.

Preparing a short speech in honour of the engaged couple will show you to be the hostess or host with the mostest. It's thoughtful to have a shout out ready for the newlyweds, and it doesn't have to be lengthy or wonderfully worded.

When a couple chooses to take their love to the next level and become engaged, they celebrate with friends and family by throwing an engagement party. They'll be able to celebrate with their loved ones and introduce their future in-laws to each other during the celebration. As a rule, this takes place six months before the wedding.

The celebration is traditionally hosted by the bride-to-family, and it is held in their house. Someone else today? Is that even possible? Everyone from close friends to siblings to cousins to the prospective bride's parents was there. It may be held anywhere the happy couple feels most at ease, whether it is their own house, a restaurant, a hotel ballroom, or another special location.

The stress of organising an engagement party is entirely unnecessary. So, if you're the kind that gets excited about organising parties, go ahead and throw one. If you aren't over the moon about hosting this major pre-wedding function, then by all means, find someone else to do it.

Conclusion

A celebration of engagement is a wonderful opportunity to inform loved ones of the happy news and bring everyone together. You'll need to do a lot of the same things that you would for a major event: choose a date, make an invite list, send out invites, settle on a meal, and set a budget. We spoke to Heather Lowenthal, a professional party planner, to get her advice and help with the guest list, invites, presents, and everything else. When you become engaged, Lowenthal advises you to celebrate as soon as possible. Spreading out the celebrations is a good idea since there will be more events in your honour in the future. It's not uncommon for a couple to have more than one engagement party, particularly if the groom and the bride are from separate cities or live far away from each other.

Content Summary:

  • We've officially entered wedding and proposal time!
  • The wedding festivities need to get going now.
  • A celebration of engagement is a wonderful opportunity to inform loved ones of the happy news and bring everyone together to rejoice in the upcoming marriage.
  • If this is your first time hosting an engagement party, you may be wondering what to do in terms of etiquette.
  • We spoke to Heather Lowenthal, a professional party planner, to get her advice and help with the guest list, invites, presents, and everything else.
  • To begin with, best wishes!
  • What wonderful news for you and your significant other!
  • Now that you've gotten the proposal out of the way, it's time to focus on something else that matters: the engagement party.
  • Even though you wouldn't want the engagement party to overshadow the wedding, it's a fantastic chance to hone your event management skills.
  • You'll need to do a lot of the same things that you would for a major event: choose a location, pick a date, make an invite list, send out invites, settle on a meal, and set a budget.
  • Don't know how to get things going or what to do first?
  • Have no fear; we've got all the info you need to know about when and how to have an engagement bash.
  • If you follow these simple instructions, you will soon be sharing your good news with your closest friends and family.
  • Who Hosts The Engagement Party?
  • Although the parents of the bride traditionally host the engagement party, anybody may do so nowadays.
  • Some married couples even want to host a party in honour of their union.
  • When Should An Engagement Party Be Hosted?
  • When you become engaged, Lowenthal advises you to celebrate as soon as possible.
  • Spreading out the celebrations is a good idea since there will be more events held in your honour in the future.
  • A little delay is not a big deal if your engagement is longer or you can't go home immediately.
  • Who Should You Invite To An Engagement Party?
  • You must invite everyone who is invited to your engagement party, just like you did for your bachelor/bachelorette parties and showers.
  • Whether you and your future spouse or your parents will be hosting the engagement party, this is important to remember.
  • Must I Send Formal Invitations?
  • The formality of your invites for the engagement party should reflect the formality of the occasion.
  • Paper invites are classy and perfect for a formal dinner if you have some time to plan beforehand.
  • Taking it easy?
  • Choose an e-invitation with a fun, lighthearted tone.
  • Evites are convenient since you may choose a formal style for a more sophisticated engagement party from among many available possibilities.
  • Does The Invitation Need To Include Registry Information?
  • It's OK to create a register for visitors who would want to bring presents to your engagement party, but it's inappropriate to include registration information in the invitation.
  • Instead, you should depend on word of mouth or post links to your register on your wedding website.
  • Keep in mind that although it is expected, it is not necessary to bring presents to the engagement party.
  • Are Several Engagement Parties Possible?
  • It's very uncommon for a couple to have more than one engagement party, particularly if the groom and the bride are from separate cities or live far away from each other.
  • In a casual setting, such as an after-work drink with friends or coworkers, you may safely invite a bigger group without fear of social embarrassment.

FAQs About Engagement Party

Traditionally, the bride's parents host the engagement party, but many modern couples host their celebration. Originally, engagement parties had the appearance of normal parties at which the bride-to-be's father made a surprise announcement of the engagement to his guests.

It is ideal to have an engagement party three months after the proposal. You have to think of a compelling reason to bring everyone together. However, if you plan on having a long engagement, you can delay the party and celebrate when you're ready.

However, time is of the essence. It would be best if you had the celebration as soon as possible when the news breaks. If the wedding is a year or more away, the engagement party should be held during the first few months. Then, all the pressure of wedding preparations won't stress you out.

Guests who will be spending a lot of time together in the next months and years, such as the bride's and groom's parents, and who may even be involved in wedding planning, should be formally introduced during the engagement party.

Budget carefully for the wedding in the time leading up to it. If you're in a position to do so and have some extra cash on hand, consider whether or not you'd want to celebrate your upcoming engagement with a party. While some individuals host engagement parties that rival or even surpass the size of others' weddings, you don't have to go to such extremes.

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