Congratulations on saying yes! It's time to celebrate—and what better way than with an engagement party? Here's what to expect at your engagement party.

So you’ve said yes, and you and your partner are excited to start the new chapter of your lives together. And what better way to celebrate your engagement (and impending wedding) than with a party? An engagement party brings all your nearest and dearest in to help you and your partner toast the good news. It’s also a great opportunity for families to meet and mingle before the big day.

Even though celebrations like this are supposed to be fun and exciting, they can get stressful. The engagement period, while shaded with romantic bliss, is a sprint to the wedding day. There’s so much to do, and so little time! And while this particular party can serve as a sort of soft launch of your wedding party, there’s all the interpersonal dynamics to worry about. The good news is, you’re not alone. Take a deep breath, and check out this guide of what to expect at your engagement party.

“Have You Met…?”

An engagement party is an opportunity for all of you and your partner’s most important people to meet. This can be both exciting and scary. In a dream world, your bridesmaids will all love each other as much as you love each of them. Your partner’s mother will get along great with your eccentric aunt. Perhaps everyone who will attend the party already knows each other! However, this isn’t always (or even often) the case.

No matter the circumstance, it’s important to not assume that all of your guests know each other. And finding out for the first time how everyone gets along at the wedding is not the best idea. Therefore, this engagement party can serve as a wedding party soft launch. Assess the personalities involved, who you think will get along well and who might not, and do some introductions ahead of time. At the engagement party itself, keep the conversation light, and avoid any thorny subjects. In addition to avoiding a sour turn, it’s just good party etiquette!

The Proposal Story

Now that you have a plan for your guests, the next step is to prepare a light party agenda. Scheduling some key moments during the party can help create a memorable experience for not only your guests but for you and your partner as well.

You’re at this party to celebrate getting engaged. So tell everyone about the proposal! Guests will want to know all the details: when, where, what you were eating, even what you were wearing. Your proposal story is a romantic glimpse into your relationship, so it is crucial to give some thought as to how you can present the story well.

Whether you decide to share the story with a toast, put together a slide show, have a video to share, or find another creative way to tell the tale, planning this out in advance can alleviate some of the stress of a key moment. Presenting the story to everyone at once will spare you and your partner repeating yourselves for hours!

Raise a Glass for The Engagement Party Toasts

Scheduling out your party also allows you to pencil in time for speeches and toasts. Your loved ones will inevitably come with congratulatory words, fun memories, and unforgettable stories about your relationship to share. This can be a wonderful addition to your engagement party, but it must be done right.

You’ll want to ensure that all speech content is approved by you and your fiancé. Everyone has information they’d rather keep private—and it just takes one friend who has one drink too many to spill those beans. Assemble an approved list of speakers and let them know what’s off-limits. You’ll also want to set some informal time limits, so speakers don’t take your party on an hour-long journey down memory lane!

You Didn’t Have To...Engagement Party Gifts

No matter how much you protest, someone is going to bring gifts to your engagement party. You can insist against it all you want, but it’s going to happen! So if you’ve chosen to not officially do gifts, it’s probably a good idea to plan a subtle way to collect them anyway—just in case. Have a closet, backroom, covered table with space underneath, or another organized-yet-not-showcased way to collect unexpected gifts.

You may think about your friends and family and realize that random gifts may not be welcome. Not everyone is a great gift giver! In this case, specify that gifts are not needed, but create a shoppable registry for those who’d like to provide one anyway. Might as well get what you need if folks are stubborn.

The Wedding Plans

The engagement party marks the beginning of a series of pre-wedding plans, celebrations, and gatherings. Despite this, some guests will be itching to hear about detailed wedding plans from the get-go. Every couple tracks their engagement-to-wedding timeline differently, so there is no right or wrong answer for how far out the wedding is. That being said, being able to provide some minor details about the wedding can be helpful. Be prepared to let engagement party attendees know at least what city and state you’re considering, and an estimated month.

Dress Up!

As mentioned above, the engagement party is usually the kickoff to a whole string of pre-wedding events, culminating in the big day itself. While of course, every bride wants the perfect wedding dress, you should plan a showstopper for each of these once-in-a-lifetime.

Afarose is here to provide you with stunning bespoke outfits for every wedding-related event. Dresses like the elegant Susanna will make you look like the belle of the ball, and are a great foreshadowing of your long tumbling wedding gown. Afarose has the outfits you need to stand out as not only a beautiful bride but a fabulous bride-to-be as well.

Check out the selection and book a virtual styling appointment today!

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