How soon should you hold an engagement party?
But don't wait too long. You want to have the party when the news is still fresh. Assuming the wedding is a year or so away, holding the engagement partywithin the first few months would be a good idea. You'll be relaxed and won't be super busy with serious wedding planning just yet.
How to plan an engagement party?
2. Pick a date The best time is within the first few months of engagement. The excitement is still fresh, and any potential wedding planning stress has yet to kick in! 3. Create the guest list The best bet is to keep the engagement party more intimate and invite only those who will be at the wedding as well.
What is the average length of an engagement?
Over the years, the average length of an engagement has fluctuated. In recent years, this average has dropped to around 13 to 15 months, as couples with varying budgets and circumstances prepare to day ‘I do’. Engagement Length: How Long Should an Engagement Be?
How many engagement parties do you need to throw?
Bear in mind that there’s no rule which says that there must be only one party to celebrate an engagement. There can be as many parties by whoever wants to throw one. Again, whoever hosts the party, foots the bill.
When Do You Have an Engagement Party?
You'll want to give guests about one month's notice (six weeks if you're inviting long-distance friends), so send party invitations out a few months after your engagement.
Do You Need to Send Engagement Party Invitations?
You (or whoever's hosting) should send official engagement party invitations, but don't confu se the word "official" with "formal." Your invites can be more formal if you like, but feel free to choose simple, playful or informal paper invitations—or even opt for digital invites. Basically, make sure you put more effort into it than a haphazard text or email. If you've chosen your invitation designer already, ask if they offer a special rate on invites. And don't worry if you haven't settled on a wedding color palette or even a wedding date—your engagement party invitations don't have to match the rest of your stationery.
How Formal Should the Engagement Party Be?
Traditionally, engagement parties were cocktail hours hosted by the family of the bride. Nowadays, the affair can be as big or small, formal or informal as you'd like! Part of the fun of an engagement party is tailoring it to your precise vision. Some parties are incredibly formal and are hosted at country clubs and in ballrooms. Others are more relaxed, with backyard barbecues and tubs of beer on ice. Whatever your vision, be sure to communicate your hopes to the person hosting the party. They'll play the biggest role in determining how formal your actual engagement party is.
Where Should It Take Place?
The location of your engagement party really depends on who's throwing it. If the hosts are local, you'll likely be celebrating in your own city, but if they live out of state, you may want to have it in their city. It comes down to discussing it with the hosts and figuring out the logistics to make it easier on everyone involved. Say you live in New York, but most of your family and friends live in Chicago, where you grew up: You may decide to have your party in your old hometown (and enlist someone local to help you plan), host it in your current city or even throw two parties. Just beware of tiring out your guests and wedding party with too many invitations before the wedding day is even close. Also, when picking the party location, consider where you plan to have your wedding—you may not want to ask guests to travel twice. Many couples celebrate with multiple engagement parties because their friends and family are spread all over the place.
Should You Expect Gifts?
Gifts aren' t traditionally part of the engagement party experience. Still, some guests will inevitably show up bearing presents. It's a natural inclination to want to celebrate your good news! Given that gifts are somewhat inevitable, you and your partner may want to start putting together a wedding registry even earlier than anticipated. Don't feel like you need to have your full registry completely finished before the party. Simply add a few things you know you could use – just in case someone wants to surprise you with a gift at the engagement party.
Why do couples have multiple engagement parties?
Many couples celebrate with multiple engagement parties because their friends and family are spread all over the place.
Can you invite people to an engagement party?
Old-school etiquette states that everyone invited to the engagement party must be invited to the wedding too—case closed. But these days, with the formality of this event evolving and more couples living and/or getting married far from their families and friends, engagement party guest list expectations have changed. At least in some cases, engagement parties can definitely include people who aren't invited to the wedding. For example, if your friends want to plan an informal party at a neighborhood bar and email invites a few weeks before, it's totally fine to include people you aren't sure will end up making the wedding guest list (coworkers, newer friends, friends of friends and so on). Or if your parents' good friends want to host a cocktail party at their home in your honor, let your parents invite mutual friends and business associates you might not have room for at your wedding.
Who throws the engagement party?
Traditionally, engagement parties are hosted by the bride's parents, but really anyone can throw the engagement party. Some couples even choose to throw their own celebration!
Should you include registry information with the invitation?
While it's A-OK to complete a registry for guests that want to bring a gift to your engagement party, it's not appropriate to include registry information in your engagement party invitation. Instead, include registry links on your wedding website or rely on word of mouth. Just remember that giving gifts, while certainly customary, is not mandatory for engagement parties.
When should the parents meet for the first time?
At an engagement party , the atmosphere isn't going to be right. Your parents’ first meeting should give them a chance to really talk and get to know each other in an intimate setting.
What to serve at a cocktail dinner?
If you’re serving booze in any form, you’ll want some food available also. For an evening of cocktails, opt for passed appetizers or a display of cheeses, meats, and crudités. Gathering in the backyard? Your favorite cookout fare is a must. If the evening will be more formal, a plated meal is a nice touch but doesn’t have to be a drawn-out five-course meal with wine pairings.
Can you plan an engagement party with your family?
Whether it’s you and your partner, your siblings, your BFF, or your partner’s family, just about anyone can plan (and pay for) the celebration. You can call in the help of a professional if you're going all out for your engagement party (some wedding planners even include it in their overall package).
Can you have an engagement party over the holidays?
Whether you got engaged over the holidays or any other time of year, you have the option of combining your engagement party with another celebration. Just try to avoid holidays for which people will have other plans and will be focused on family traditions, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, or a date like Valentine's Day when people will want to make plans with their special someone.
Who is Jaimie Mackey?
Jaimie Mackey was the Brides real weddings editor from 2013 to 2015. She also worked as a luxury wedding planning producing over 100 high-end weddings and events over four wedding seasons in Colorado.
What is a shorter engagement?
A shorter engagement is a great fit for a couple planning a smaller wedding with an intimate guest list, as well as a couple working with a full-service wedding planner who can help you take care of the details quickly.
How long should an engagement be?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer—your engagement should be as long or as short as you and your partner want (or need) it to be. A number of factors will play into how long your engagement is, from when your dream venue is available to what your work schedules look like to whether you need extra time to save up for your big day.
How long does it take to get engaged?
The average engagement length in the U.S. is between 12 and 18 months, which explains why winter is the most popular time to get engaged, but summer is the most popular time to get married.
Who is Jaimie Mackey?
Jaimie Mackey was the Brides real weddings editor from 2013 to 2015. She also worked as a luxury wedding planning producing over 100 high-end weddings and events over four wedding seasons in Colorado. Your engagement should be a romantic and exciting time for you and your fiancé to share, but it also comes with a huge to-do list (you know, ...
Is engagement a romantic event?
Getty. Your engagement should be a romantic and exciting time for you and your fiancé to share, but it also comes with a huge to-do list (you know, for that wedding you’re planning), making it easy to get caught up in what needs to be done and to lose sight of the celebration.
What is the best way to invite people to an engagement party?
If you want a formal affair with full course dinners, send paper invites to your guests. If you’re going for a casual affair, send out e-vites or emails to your guests. Send them out a month in advance.
What is the proper etiquette for an engagement party?
The proper etiquette for an engagement party solely depends on you and the mood you want to set. You have to decide on when to throw it, the number of guests, invites, who to host it, etc. This will help you apply the proper rule where necessary, however, it’s all about you. ADVERTISEMENT.
What is an engagement party?
The engagement party is the first of many celebrations before the wedding. It’s a time to share your good news with your friends and family after savoring the moment alone. But just like the wedding, the engagement party needs a thorough and seamless plan. This is where the engagement party etiquette becomes essential.
How long should an engagement party last?
An engagement party should last a maximum of four hours. So factor in the drinking, partying, speeches, and everything else. This will allow the guests to get home in good time.
Can guests bring gifts to a wedding?
While guests will bring gifts anyway, you shouldn’t expect it . However, set up a wedding registry and include the link on your website. Guests will either take advantage of that or buy gifts through word of mouth. Never ask for gifts outright.
Do you give speeches at an engagement party?
Yes, speeches are important at an engagement party. The best persons to give speeches are the new couple. If they’re not up to it, the parents or mutual friends are great alternatives.
Can you attach a gift registry to an engagement party invite?
Don’t attach your gift registry to engagement party invites.
