5…4…3…2…1… I DO!!
Congratulations ladies, he popped the question and you are off into the wonderful world of wedding planning! Yeah!
Like most brides your mind is spinning crazy with excitement, calendars and to do lists. Mom and dad are pleased, your girlfriends are ecstatic and you can barely sit still without thinking about wedding bells. So with all this excitement and all the details where does a girl start?
The Engagement party of course….
But how?
When?
Where?
Who?
Thank goodness for the plethera of information about engagement parties and wedding planning. Every possible scenario is posted online for every bride out there, it’s just a matter of figuring out what works best for you and your fiance. There is so much info out there that your brain starts to expand and before you know it you’re talking in your sleep about napkins and party favors. How do figure out what is the best choice for you and your fiance. These are a few questions that we have heard from our brides and thought they would be good to share with you during this excellent journey you have embarked!
Q: When should the engagement party be held?
A: Proper engagement party etiquette dictates that the engagement party be held (1) After the couple is officially engaged and (2) Only when both of the couple can be present (that one is a given but necessary). Depending on your style and timing of course, try to keep it within the first three months of engagement.
Q: Who should be invited?
A: Most engagement parties are small, intimate affairs. In general, just close family and friends are invited to celebrate the joy of your engagement. Try not to invite people you don’t plan on including in your guest list for the big day…might cause some hurt feelings.
Q: Who should host the engagement party?
A: Most engagement parties are hosted by the parents of the bride as a form of announcing the engagement of their daughter. However, as times change more and more parents of the groom or siblings or friends are hosting engagement parties. As a rule of thumb, the brides parents would be the first to offer such an event, but if they don’t it would be alright to accept the offer from someone else for a party.
Q: Should formal invitations be sent out?
A: Formal invitations can be sent to invite guests to the engagement party with the words “In honor of Jennifer Lee Smith and William Thomas Brown” as the reason for the gathering. Formal invitations are not required, however, and a phone call to invite guests is perfectly acceptable. The manner in which you invite your guests sets an expectation for the formality of your wedding, just keep that in mind.
Q: Should guests bring gifts to an engagement party?
A: Most guests should not bring a gift to an engagement party, however many do. Engagement gifts are generally supposed to be limited to only the closest friends and family of the bride and groom. However, the bride and groom should never expect a gift from any of their guests.
Q: Where should the engagement party be held?
A: Engagement parties range from informal to formal so there is no one right place to hold an engagement party. The house of the parents of the bride is a good place if they are hosting the party, but many engagement parties also happen as dinner out with friends. Decide on a location that at least one level below your wedding venue.
Q: Should someone propose a toast?
A:Since most engagement parties are given by the parents of the bride as a form of announcing their daughter’s engagement, the father of the bride should give a toast to the happy couple as the method of formally announcing the engagement at the party. With the dynamics of today there is flexibility to allow a best friend or your favorite auntie to propose a toast as long as you keep the story telling to a minimum for your guests sake.
When it all comes down to it, just keep breathing…enjoy this momentous occasion…and BE YOURSELF!!
