Engagement Party Rules: Tips, FAQs & More

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Marriage proposals come with so many happy tears, excitement, and announcements. But while the news is still fresh, start thinking of throwing engagement parties. Now you may ask, what is an engagement party? It is the first of all celebratory activities leading to your wedding day. An event where you bring together your dearest to announce your news and make plans.

This is a happy celebration but it’s governed by certain engagement party rules and etiquette. From the party style to venue, hosts, guest count, and more. All must be well considered. But remember that in the end, it’s all about you and what keeps the smile on. We know you’ve never hosted one and you have concerns. Not to worry, we’ve answered all your FAQs and some bonus tips in this post.

What should a couple wear to an engagement party?

Well, this depends on how formal or casual the party is and the host’s chosen dress code. But one thing the bride should not forget is a piece of statement jewelry to complement her ring; something she’ll find in an engaged box. For a cocktail classic event, floor-length gowns and black tie looks are the best. If it’s an outdoor event in the summer, a midi or eyelet sundress works quite okay. For a night event, sequins and suits in dark hues will knock their socks off.

Who hosts an engagement party?

The bride’s parents call first dibs on hosting the engagement party, traditionally. However, this can be easily initiated by friends of the couple, relatives, or the couple themselves. In some cases, there may be more than one engagement party. This will often occur if the couple lives away from their parents. There’d be a party for family and relatives, and another one for their closest friends.

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Who do you invite to an engagement party?

Engagement parties are very intimate, and the standard rule is that everyone attending must be invited to the wedding. However, with things evolving, couples now make concessions. The question of whom to invite lies on how open or close the event is, how big a wedding intended, and the budget. If the couple will elope or have a small wedding, then everyone should be invited, whether they’re getting wedding invites or not. Also, if the traditional rule of the bride’s parents hosting the engagement party is observed, then all the bride’s family members are well invited.

Should there be official invitations for the engagement party?

This largely depends on how much time is left before the engagement party happens. If you decided on having a party the next week or two after the proposal, there’ll be no need for formal invites. Simply place calls through to important people. You can use social media messages for those active and send e-invites to the rest. However, if you’ve chosen to host it for months and up, there’ll be time for a fully organized party. Make proper wedding invites a task on your engagement party checklist. Add the address, date, venue, accommodation arrangements, and even dress codes. Unlike the spontaneous invites where only guests living close can attend, a well-planned party will attract guests living far off. You can also add your website address and wedding registry where guests can access it.

Should gifts be expected?

As with celebrations, everyone wants to do something for you. So, even though it’s not expected to bring gifts to engagement parties, it’s a given that some will show up with them. To be on the safe side and ensure that you get only what you’d love, set up a wedding registry. It doesn’t have to be the final list, you can adjust as the wedding approaches. You can add the registry details to your website and include the URL on your invites. This works for formal celebrations. The most gift a spontaneous or casual event might get will be wine vouchers, blooms, etc.

Engagement parties are the flag-off events before the wedding. Do it right and make it memorable by following the set down etiquette. Our tips and FAQs are there to guide you.

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