How to Throw an Engagement Party at Home
Traditionally, the bride’s parents are usually the ones to host the engagement party in their home, but today the lines are blurred, modern ideas are on the table, and couples tend to opt for whatever they believe would suit them the best. Whether you want to stick to the old-school ways or organize a completely unique and different party in your own home, we’ve got some tips that can help you out.
Figure out the host
Your parents, the couple’s home itself, or maybe even a friend with a spacious house that wouldn’t mind helping you host the party. Whosever home you pick, make sure that the host is ready and happy to take on the responsibility.
Have a theme
This is completely optional, but picking out a theme for the evening might make everything more fun. Go for some retro 20’s vibe where everyone will dance the night away, or maybe just focus on the decorations and give the room a special makeover.
Set the date early
This will give you enough time to plan and work around the event, but do make sure there is some breathing room between the engagement itself and the official engagement party so you could take it all in and really enjoy the fact that you’ll be getting married.
Invite only those closest to you
There’s only one rule when it comes to invitations, and that’s to invite only the people who are also invited to your wedding. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to invite all your wedding guests, because engagement parties are usually small, more intimate affairs. Your families and closest friends are more than enough.
Prepare your home
If you’re having a large number of people coming over, the house needs to be spick and span before they show up. Apart from a thorough clean, you want to make sure everyone will have a place to sit, enough food to eat, and plenty of champagne to celebrate your upcoming nuptials. Since it can get crowded, you’ll also need to air the rooms to avoid a stuffy, unpleasant atmosphere. A good way to do this is to have a purifier turned on, especially a good air purifier for mold that has a HEPA filter and can help prevent mold spores from settling in your home as a result of increased humidity.
Tasteful decorations
Go with your gut on this one. If you’ve picked a theme, some fun decorations hanging around will make the atmosphere better, but you can also pick the simple route and simply stick to things like homemade cookies that say Yes! on them written with frosting, or maybe hang up some banners that have yours and your partner’s name on them. Another good idea are photos of the happy couple, and a scrapbook of your big moments that the guests can flip through.
Good food for all tastes
Pick out the menu with your partner and make sure that there’s a sweet cake as dessert. You’ve got a lot to look forward to, and sweet treats make people smile. Feel free to keep the dinner casual, it really doesn’t need to be a full-course meal. You can stick to canapes, tasty burgers, lasagne, or the eternal crowd pleaser pasta.
How to dress
It all depends on how formal you want the event to be, but the bride might wish to pick something white or off-white to wear, as a nod to her future wedding dress. You want people to gasp as you enter the room and immediately imagine what a beautiful bride you’ll be. A sweet floral dress is also an option, or a simple cocktail dress that looks sophisticated and stylish.
In a way, the engagement party can also be a good practice for the wedding itself. You’ll pick up some organizational skills and learn how to handle the guest list, but do leave plenty of room for you to simply relax, have fun, and enjoy time with your friends and family.
Many thanks to Georgia Selih – lifestyle blogger @highstylife.com
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