You're engaged, congrats! Time to tell all your friends and family the exciting news. And how better than with an engagement party?

Your engagement is a huge life milestone and something you surely want to gush about to all your friends and family. While posting a photo of the engagement ring on Instagram can do the trick, you can also propel the celebration a step further and throw an engagement party.

An engagement party allows you to celebrate the special occasion with your closest friends and family before the big day itself. And since it’s a more private occasion, there are no set rules for this soirée: let your inner party planner go wild. Your engagement party can also serve as a great test run for wedding planning. It’s a great time to test out vendors and wedding themes to see what will suit you best.

Mark the Engagement Party Date on the Calendar

Start your planning by fixing the date of the engagement party. Remember, there’s no rush! Take your time to savor your newly-engaged status. Since this is a less formal, smaller affair than your wedding, there’s no need to give quite the length of preparation time for your guests.

Generally, couples host engagement parties roughly a month after the proposal. But there are no rules—the date depends on your wedding plans. If you are arranging a longer engagement period, you can opt for a date closer to the wedding. And while you don’t need to give a wedding’s length of time to prepare, be sure to give your guests enough time to save the date and schedule accordingly.

Once you’ve marked the calendar, it’s time to prep your invitations. Consider an eco-friendly option for this pre-wedding affair, like an e-invite. These can easily be customized according to the party theme, and also save on expenses. For a more formal engagement party, there are also more sustainable options like seed paper or recycled paper invites.

Engagement Party Invitees

Shaping a guest list for an engagement party can be tricky. Who do you invite? Should it match the wedding list? If you invite too many wedding guests, is it just a pre-wedding? What do you tell those who weren’t invited? But with a little forethought and organization, you can pull it off.

An engagement party is more intimate than a wedding. Therefore, you don’t need to invite everyone. Couples tend to extend invitations to their immediate family members and close friends—keep it to the inner circle. Just remember that everyone invited to the engagement party needs to also make it onto the wedding guest list! It’s just basic wedding etiquette.

In addition, let your guests know if you’re hosting the party at a place that is not child-friendly. You must give them enough time to arrange a babysitter or daycare for their children.

Crunch Numbers

Your pre-wedding events are trailers for your wedding. They are important but you must not get too carried away with the budget.

Before you begin your party planning, set aside a fixed budget. When you have a fixed number, filtering out venues, deciding the menu, and winnowing the number of invitees gets easier. This process also serves as good practice for budgeting the wedding itself. If your parents or a close friend throws the engagement party for you, talk to them about any division of expenses early.

The Venue

The theme, headcount, budget, decorations—there are many factors to consider before finalizing the engagement party. Yes, you are thrilled about your status update and want to include everyone in your celebrations. But your engagement party must not upstage the wedding. With this in mind, look for a venue that is spacious enough to accommodate all the invitees, but that does not take away from your wedding funds. Something simple and elegant will always suffice!

For decor, consider investing in sustainable pieces that can double as wedding showpieces as well. This will save you money, and also build thematic continuity throughout your engagement celebrations. The venue should also be easy to reach for your guests! (Especially if you are planning a destination wedding—don’t make your guests arrange travel twice.)

If you are choosing a more formal venue and expect your guests to show up in certain attire, you need to mention the dress code in the invitation. Make sure you communicate your expectations clearly with your guests!

The Menu

Food is the most important part of any social event. To streamline preparations, consider the theme of your party before fixing the menu. If you’re hosting a formal event, a coursed tasting menu might be ideal. For a more rustic or bohemian engagement party, perhaps opt for a buffet of dishes made with local produce. Some couples even opt for a simple finger food menu.

Include some menu details in the invites to give your guests a heads-up. This is also a good time to ask them about any food allergies or sensitivities, so you can avoid any health-related issues.

The Itinerary

The looseness of an engagement party makes it the perfect time for couples to show off their creativity. Your itinerary can include fun games like bride and groom trivia, photo scavenger hunts, and more. You can also include toasts and some light dancing.

Remember that oftentimes, an engagement party may be an icebreaker moment for many members of both families. Keep things light, and maybe provide an open bar for everyone to mingle over. If everyone gets to know each other now, it will only make your wedding more intimate and fun!

Plan your events according to the venue and the time allotted. For example, if you want to have an open bar, book a space for at least three hours and host the party later in the evening.

After the Engagement Party

Your favorite people took time off their busy schedules to come to celebrate with you. Before the engagement party is over, show them how much you appreciate them. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate! Simple gestures like handing out souvenirs as a thank you gift, or even handwritten notes will let your guests know their importance in your life. Follow up with everyone after to thank them again for attending, and let them know how excited you are to see them at the wedding.

Pick Your Perfect Engagement Party Attire!

In a sense, your engagement party is a sort of soft launch of your new status as a couple. So, of course, you want to look your best! If you’re narrowing in on a theme, your engagement party dress is also a great way to foreshadow. Pick a dress with light pastels if you’re planning a more ethereal wedding, for example; conversely, you might go bold and bright to signal that your big day will be less conventional.

Whatever your needs, it helps to shop with a vendor who understands them! Online boutique dressmaker Afarose is here for all your wedding needs. Peruse the collection of stunning bespoke bridal gowns before the big day—and also check out their other dresses for a chic pre-wedding look that keeps with your themes! For example, the airy, mint green Chloe with off-the-shoulder sleeves is a great prelude to a boho-chic or fairytale wedding theme.

Since all the dresses are made to order, Afarose also offers virtual styling and try-at-home options. This way you can ensure your outfit fits like a dream!

However, Afarose is more than just your go-to dress designer. From offering the ring to slipping it on at the altar, Afarose has all the advice you need to ensure your engagement and wedding are picture-perfect. Scope out the latest offerings and tips and start planning today!

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