You’re finally engaged, and you want to celebrate, which means you’re wondering how to plan your engagement party.
Similar to the big event, your engagement party is a great way to practice some useful event planning skills. At the same time, you don’t want to take anything away from the actual wedding day.
Before we go further, you might want to discover how engagement parties came about. Read on!
Brief History of How Engagement Parties Came About
An engagement is a collective agreement between two people to get married. With an engagement, the couple testifies to their desire to marry.
The ritual of proposing is an ancient tradition that has been practiced for several years. In ancient history, if both parties agreed, the groom would hand over the marriage dowry to the bride’s father.
This was considered an official engagement. Later the exchange of goods became common. Today, in the western world an engagement is an emotional and romantic occasion. The exchange of goods has become the exchange of an engagement ring, and that has become the widely accepted norm.
An engagement party takes place when a couple finally decides to make their relationship a lifetime commitment. The party is a way of sharing the news with families and friends.
Key Steps to Planning an Engagement Party
To get you started on your wedding planning journey, here is some guidance on how to throw an engagement party:
Have a Budget
The first point to be considered before planning an engagement party is the budget. Be careful not to spend the entire wedding budget on a pre-wedding function.
Make sure you create a detailed or rough engagement budget, creating a budget is not something you should only do for the wedding. Even if it’s a low-key party, it is still a good idea to draw up a budget plan so you can spend reasonably.
Set a Date For the Engagement Party
There is no right or wrong answer to the question of when to set a date for your engagement. Plan a realistic date. You would also want to factor in your guest availability, especially for close friends and families who might travel from far just to be a part of it.
A good time will be within the first few months of engagement. The eagerness is still fresh, and any possible wedding planning stress has not yet set in. More than anything, figure out when the party would be most enjoyable for you and your partner.
Select a Party Venue
The type and number of guests you want to invite should determine the venue for the party. Engagement parties could be formal or informal, which gives you a lot of flexibility when it comes to the venue.
When deciding on the venue of the engagement, remember that you should never upstage the actual wedding day. So try creating a different setting and mood for the engagement party.
You might like to hold it at your parent’s home, your aunt’s backyard, or your favorite restaurant. Just keep in mind that it should be fun and amazing because it is the start of a memorable period of your life.
Draw Up Your Guest Invitation
When considering your guest invitation list, give some thought to who you want to invite. Consider the space, the budget, and the expenses you’re willing to take on for your guest.
Your guest invitation list can decide how the event goes. Typically, your guest invitation list should be made up of family, close friends, and colleagues.
Invite Your Guest
It is not a requirement to have expensive wedding settings made for your engagement party. You can treat it like you would another party by sending emails, sending a WhatsApp message, or creating an event on Facebook.
It is important to be clear about the details such as dress code and time. Make sure you give around one month’s notice if possible and then verify with your guests a week or two before the party.
Pick your Engagement Ring
Now comes the most important part of your planning, choosing the engagement ring for the most special occasion of your life. As the first step, you would have to set the budget for the whole engagement ceremony. You can always go for the classical and yet the Ideal engagement ring is the solitaire engagement ring. These engagement rings are the ones that would steal the thunder of the occasion. If you are on a tight budget, lab-grown diamond engagement rings are the right fit because of their dazzling look and most importantly they are a lot cheaper than naturally mined diamonds.
Decide on an Outfit
Choose an outfit that’s suitable for the party’s setting. You don’t have to go all white, of course, you can wear any color you would prefer. Your partner’s outfit should complement yours. Your outfit should fit the setting of your engagement party too.
Also consider whether you want your picture taken too, by a professional photographer or by friends.
Plan a Menu
Your budget and theme for the engagement party also play a role in the menu. If it’s a formal party, it might require a five-course meal. Although a five-course meal is not important, you can have a nice plated meal with wine pairings.
If the evening would be at home or if it would be a backyard party, you can opt-out for a cookout, appetizers, and meats alongside champagne and desserts.
Be careful not to drink too much if you’d be giving a little thank you speech at the end of the party. But, make sure you have fun.
Assign Duties
Planning an engagement party alone is not easy no matter how simple you want it. So don’t be shy or afraid to assign duties or tasks to family members or friends. You’d surely need all the help you can get.
You can also hire professional vendors to cover some aspects of the engagement party planning. Things like setting up, collecting gifts, and engagement party games can be handled by friends or family members.
Set the Scene
Just like every other party, the focus is on celebrating but decor can help you enhance the vibe. The theme and decoration can be simple or complicated as you’d like. Candlelight is also a good choice and some flowers, also a dash of colors can perk up the space.
Gift Consideration
Unlike birthday celebrations, bridal showers, or the actual wedding day celebration. Gifts are not that important at an engagement party.
Some guests might still choose to give, so a designated location could be used for the collection of any physical gifts they might bring. This way guests who didn’t come with gifts won’t feel uncomfortable.
Conclusion
Not only is your engagement party an opportunity for your loved ones to congratulate you, but engagement party is also an opportunity for everyone to meet in one place, and get to know one another.
Traditionally an engagement party is usually held by the bride’s family. But today it can be held by different parts of the family.
