Wedding proposals are cause for a joyful gathering, and engagement parties are the perfect opportunity for friends and family to toast the soon-to-be newlyweds on their way to married bliss. But any engagement party preceding a Long Island wedding ought to hit at least a few traditional notes—with the most important note of all simply being celebrating love while hyping up the wedding.
When planning an engagement party, it can be difficult to know who’s supposed to do what, where it’s supposed to take place, and what it’s supposed to look like. But fret not, the bride and groom’s engagement party is a lighthearted affair—all you need to do is address these five simple questions.
Who Should Plan/Host The Engagement Party?
The bride’s parents traditionally lead the engagement party, but times have changed and now there is no set rule on who plays host. These days, the party can be organized and hosted by either of the couple’s parents, other relatives, friends, or even the bride and groom themselves. And if the guest list begins to get a bit unruly, the couple may want to have multiple parties—one for relatives and one for their friends. If this is the case, the first party should involve parents and family members.
When Should The Engagement Party Take Place?
You know that feeling of excitement that washes over you when you get engaged? That emotion should still be at the forefront when the engagement party takes place—so it should be held as close to the actual engagement as possible. Of course, the availability of the partygoers needs to be taken into account, as you want as many of your close family and friends as possible to attend.
Who Should You Invite To Your Engagement Party?
The rules of etiquette state that if they are invited to the engagement party, then they are definitely invited to the wedding. On the other hand, the engagement party guest list should be far shorter than that of the wedding. Besides obvious attendees like the parents and close friends of the couple, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and other close friends, the engagement party should be a far more intimate affair than the wedding itself. Don’t feel obligated to go beyond a limited circle—you’ve got enough stress right now, don’t add to it by expanding the invitations into unreasonable territories.
How Fancy Should The Engagement Party Be?
There is a lot of leeway in this category. Some engagement parties are simple, yet wonderful, events hosted by the bride’s parents at their home, while others approach the aesthetic of an actual wedding. That’s the beauty of engagement parties—they are perfect for personalization. They afford the host numerous opportunities to be inventive and playful, whether that’s with the decor, cuisine, activities, and overall atmosphere. This includes how formal the dress code is, which would depend on the location of the engagement party.
What To Expect At Your Own Engagement Party?
The main point of the engagement party is to celebrate the proposal, so the couple should expect to tell and retell the story of how the question was popped—the setting, the time of day, the exact words, and every detail in between. In general, everyone in attendance will want a moment or two to talk to the engaged couple about their personal love story and how wedding planning is going. This can be stressful for some, but remember everyone is there because they are incredibly happy for you. So enjoy the attention—and don’t forget to thank your host for taking the time to plan your engagement party.
