Five Tips For Throwing and Engagement Party

Engagement parties are a fun way to celebrate and share the news with all of your family and friends.  Whether the party is extravagant or small and intimate, here are a few tips to steer you in the right direction.

Location

There are lots of fun places to have the party.  Decide whether you want a large or intimate event before you pick the location.  A backyard or yacht is a great place for an intimate gathering. You can go big in a ballroom or estate. Either way, first consider the size and grandeur of your wedding.  The engagement party shouldn’t upstage the wedding, but instead should compliment it.

Who to Invite

According to ancient engagement party etiquette, you are only supposed to invite guests who are also invited to your wedding.  However, if you are having a small wedding you might want to invite more friends to the engagement party who won’t be attending the wedding.  This is also an opportunity for your parents to invite friends they may want to share in the celebration.

When to Have It

Engagement parties generally happen within three months of the proposal.  They are generally thrown by the bride’s family but a friend or member of the bridal party may throw one as well.  If you are planning a long engagement then plan your party no less than nine months before the wedding.

What to Serve

Don’t feel as though you have to serve an extravagant meal at your engagement party.  The food you serve is a great opportunity to showcase who you are as a couple. Choose the food that reflects both of your favorite foods for the appetizers and desserts.  This is a fun way to give an overview of the couple and what similarities or differences attract you to each other.

Gifts?

Gifts are not usually expected at an engagement party,  however if there are people coming who know they will not be able to make the wedding, then gifts are a definite possibility.  You can create a registry just in case someone asks your parents what to get you.  It doesn’t have to be the large wedding registry but just something small for the gifts you may receive.

Engagement Announcement