The Ultimate Engagement Party Guide

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Congratulations! You've just gotten engaged and now it's time to celebrate with an engagement party. It's a joyous occasion that marks the start of your journey towards marriage and marks the beginning of a new chapter in your life.

But what should you expect at an engagement party? How do you make it memorable and special? Read on to find out all the basics of an engagement party, from ideas on how to plan one, traditional etiquette, and more.

What is an Engagement Party?

An engagement party is a celebration of a couple's impending marriage. It is typically hosted by the bride's parents and is attended by close family and friends. The party usually takes place soon after the couple becomes engaged and helps to officially announce their plans to marry.

Engagement parties are a time for the couple to receive well-wishes and congratulations from their loved ones. They also provide an opportunity for guests to get to know each other before the wedding. The party may include games, speeches, food and drink, and dancing.

Who Hosts the Engagement Party?

There is no set rule for who hosts an engagement party, but it is typically thrown by the bride's parents. If the parents are unable or unwilling to host, another close relative, such as a grandparent, aunt, or uncle, can step in.

In some cases, the couple may choose to host their own party or their best couple friend handles it. With people living further from home these days, sometimes there are even multiple; a friend only version and a family only version. 

The Dos and Don'ts of Engagement Party Etiquette

Here are some tips on how to plan an amazing engagement party:

1. Choose the right venue. The venue should be large enough to accommodate all of your guests, but not so large that it feels empty. It should also be convenient for everyone to get to.
2. Send out invitations early. Give your guests plenty of notice so they can clear their schedules and make travel arrangements, if necessary.
3. Plan fun activities. An engagement party is more than just a chance to mingle and chat - it's also an opportunity to have some fun! Plan some games or activities that will keep your guests entertained throughout the evening.
4. Serve delicious food and drinks. Make sure there's plenty of good food and drink for everyone to enjoy. If you're on a budget, ask friends or family members to help with catering or BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle).
5. Decorate the venue in style. Create a festive atmosphere by decorating the venue with balloons, streamers, and other fun decorations. You could even theme the party around your wedding colors!
6. Have a professional photographer on hand. Capture all the special moments of your engagement party with photos that you'll treasure forever. If that's too pricey, designate a friend to do it or take turns in certain hours of the event.

Traditional Activities for a Successful Engagement Party

Ring Hunt, Photo station, Bridal jeopardy, Bridal bingo...these are just a few of the games one can set up.

However, it's all about the Bride's or Couple's personality. Ask:

• Do they want a 90 minute short event or no timeline?
• Drinking and relaxation focusing on conversation or would they prefer a set timeline with games every hour?
• Adults only or are kids invited?

You have to know the couple in order to set it up appropriately. Additionally, if people are traveling in from far as opposed to all local that can change your planning strategies.

When it comes to engagement parties, there are a few more things to keep in mind to ensure that the event is successful. First and foremost, it is important to make sure that the guest list is limited to close family and friends. Secondly, be sure to plan ahead and have a clear idea of what you want the party to entail.

Thirdly, remember that an engagement party is not about gifts, but rather celebrating the happy couple. For more on this check out this article on all things engagment gifts.

It is still good however to have a small registry list in the case people want to give you something. For ideas of gifts to put on either your wedding registry or your engagement gift registry, check out our wedding gift ideas article. 

Lastly, have fun with it! This is a time to celebrate love and new beginnings, so enjoy every minute of it!

How to Host a Virtual Engagement Party That Feels Like the Real Thing

Zoom based virtual engagement parties have been trending. Let's face it; we live in a new world. Many people have either (or both) gone off to college or left their origin city for a new life. You will likely have friends & family all over the map who would love to attend, but financially and logistically simply can't. Well, until now!

With so many different virtual platforms (Facebook Messenger Video, Zoom, WhatsApp, etc) you have your choice on programs to use. 

However, from a functional standpoint let's go over some musts to ensure the virtual guests get the full experience:

1. Do a mental walk-through of where the party will mostly take place and try to find an elevated position (i.e. shelf) to put a laptop on

2. Purposely plan your gift opening and any speeches to be indoors where the camera/laptop can easily be placed for proper video and audio.

3. The virtual guests will not attend the entire party duration. Properly plan out a timeline intinerary for the entire party so that the virtual time is purposeful.

4. Let your guests know who is attending virtually so that they can also have the opportunity to say hello to them.

5. Choose the right video program based on your preferences. If you simply want people to have the option to look in, you can do a Facebook Live or something similar where they can send messages via chat and look in. If you prefer to be able to see their faces and talk to them a Zoom invitation may be better. 

Conclusion

Hosting an engagement party is a great way to celebrate your upcoming nuptials and include all of the people who you hold so dear in this special moment. With our tips, we hope that you have plenty of ideas and inspiration for hosting the perfect engagement party that both celebrates your new commitment and sets the tone for what promises to be a beautiful wedding day. Cheers to love!

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