Location. An intimate engagement party at either the host’s home or your home is always a special night. There is something about having your closest friends and family with you in your home that makes the party so meaningful. If you’re inviting a large group of people, consider renting out a room at your favorite local restaurant. They’ll be able to handle all the food and beverages so you don’t have to worry about that. This will be more expensive than a home party but if you have the budget to do it, then plan away. A local restaurant is a great place to celebrate, and you won’t have to worry about cleaning your home — either beforehand in preparation or after the party is over.
How to invite. Once your guest list is established, it’s time to invite your guests. Engagement party invitations can be sent in the mail or electronically. They don’t have to be as formal as your wedding invitations. They can also be any style or design that you like. At this point you most likely don’t have your wedding invitations picked out, so these don’t have to match. Send them out a month before your engagement party and set the RSVP date for two weeks before your party. This will allow plenty of time for your guests to respond so that you know how many people will attend.
The ambiance. Simple flowers and decor are all you need for your engagement party. There will come a time later in the planning process where you can go all out on the flowers. The engagement party needs only simple flower arrangements or decorate with just candles. Candles are my best friend to give a romantic feel to any event. You’ll want to create an intimate atmosphere at this special event with your special people. They’ll appreciate just being invited, so save your money by designing a simple ambiance that everyone will enjoy.
The food. There’s no need to provide a four-course meal at an engagement party. Appetizers are perfect for this, such as a charcuterie board, sliders, and dips. This will create a casual environment where your guests can eat as they like while talking with you about how excited they are that you’re getting married. If you’re hosting a home party, these are items that you can make on your own. If you’re hosting a party at a local restaurant, pick some of your favorite appetizers for your guests to enjoy.
What to wear. Momma needs a new dress! Buy yourself something fun to wear for your engagement party. Treat yourself, because this is a special occasion. If you really want to spice things up, coordinate your outfit with your fiancé. This might be the first time that you get to wear white. Or maybe a vibrant dress because you want your joy to shine bright. Either way, have fun planning your outfit and pamper yourself a little bit with something new to wear. A cocktail dress or summer dress for the women and a sports jacket or button-up with slacks for the men would be the perfect attire to celebrate with.
Making the social media announcement
You have seen all the fun social media posts when someone gets engaged. You have also seen all the hashtags. Announcing your engagement on social media should be fun — the first thing you send out to show the world a reflection of who you are as a couple. When thinking about what you’re going to say, have fun with this! Don’t stress about making your post perfect. Honestly, it doesn’t really matter what anyone thinks. This is about the two of you, so enjoy thinking through options for how you’ll tell the world. In this section, I share some of my favorite social media posts. Customize them to fit the two of you as a couple and share away!
Social media is likely the most popular way that couples all over the world spread the news of their engagement. Here are some ways to share the good news:
The location. If the location of your proposal is special to you or just a neat spot, use it in your post. Share a picture of the actual proposal. If you didn’t catch it on camera, recreate it after the proposal is over with your phone camera.
Do it together. Take a photo together and make it unique. You can buy fun novelty items such as T-shirts, hats, or cups and take a picture with those items. For example, one person wears a shirt that says, “He [or She] asked!” and the other wears a shirt that says, “I said yes!”
Use a prop. On a chalkboard or poster, write, “I said yes!” Then take a photo with the prop and share the news. Or make a sign that says, “It’s time to celebrate! I’m changing my last name.”
Take a selfie. A selfie is most likely the most popular way to share the news. Take a selfie together with big smiles and say, “We’re getting married!” This is the simplest and fastest way to share the news, and who doesn’t love a good selfie?
Show off the bling. You have a ring on your finger; now show it off! Whatever way you choose to share, make sure that ring is in the photo. Everyone wants to see the ring, so including it in your social media post is always a good thing — the classic symbol that you’re engaged.
Use a pet. Let’s face it, pets are just cute. Everyone loves them, so use them in your social media post. They’re part of your family and are just as excited as you are that you’re getting married. Well, I like to think they’re excited — I haven’t been able to get any of my pets to talk to me but I’m going to guess they’re excited too!
Whatever way you share the news, have fun with this! It’s the first thing you do in the wedding planning process. Now that it’s official, it’s time to share your excitement and joy with the world in a playful and creative way. Everyone will be excited for you and love your creativity. Congratulations, the world officially knows it’s official!
Selecting Your Squad
The bridal party you pick are your people. They are the ones who have seen you on your best and your worst day. They know your deepest secrets; they have seen your heartbreaks and are on your side no matter what. Picking your squad is an important task when planning your wedding. Who will make the cut? Who will be standing next to you on your wedding day?
I have seen the good bridesmaids and the bad. I have also seen the good groomsmen and the bad. I have stories for days about bridal parties. Some are funny but some are heartbreaking, like the time a best man professed his love for the bride during his speech at the reception. That was a moment in my career that I will never forget.
My hope is that after you read this section, you’ll be able to pick the very best team to love and support you beyond the wedding and into your marriage. In this section we’ll discuss the job requirements of your bridal party, what it means for them to stand by your side, and the logistics of the order and how you’re going to ask them.
Understanding the job requirements
We all know that the bridesmaids and groomsmen stand by your side during the ceremony. But, what else to they do? Do they have job responsibilities? Yes they do! It’s an honor to be chosen as part of a bridal party, and it’s important to understand the bridal party’s job so you can pick the perfect squad.
First, let’s start with the fact that you don’t need a bridal party if it’s not important to you to have one. Maybe you’re blending families with your fiancé, and you want only your children to be with you. Or maybe you have too many friends to pick just a few to be in your bridal party. Whatever the case, know that you do not have to have a bridal party if that doesn’t fit your life.
Maid of honor, matron of honor, and best man. If you do decide to have a bridal party, picking your maid of honor (a single person) or your matron of honor (a married person) and the best man or men is first on the list of creating the perfect team. If