Pre-wedding Parties

Engagement party ideas?

Our best man and maid of honor want to throw us a less formal engagement party later this month (maid of honor is visiting from out of state and I can't wait for her to meet the rest of the bridal party!!) They are both from out of town, and we live with another girl in the bridal party who is helping throw it, so it will still be at our house even though technically we aren't hosting lol. Anyways, historically we've always thrown parties together so we're all getting into the planning, what fun things did you do at yours? Was it mostly like other parties? 

Re: Engagement party ideas?

  • Our best man and maid of honor want to throw us a less formal engagement party later this month (maid of honor is visiting from out of state and I can't wait for her to meet the rest of the bridal party!!) They are both from out of town, and we live with another girl in the bridal party who is helping throw it, so it will still be at our house even though technically we aren't hosting lol. Anyways, historically we've always thrown parties together so we're all getting into the planning, what fun things did you do at yours? Was it mostly like other parties? 


    There doesn't need to be anything different from a typical party than for an engagement party.  Good food, drinks, and company go a long way when planning a party. 

    The party should not be pot luck, it should be fully hosted by the hosts.  Unless an invited guest offers to bring something, any guest invited should just show up and enjoy the party.  There does not need to be any games.

  • Our best man and maid of honor want to throw us a less formal engagement party later this month (maid of honor is visiting from out of state and I can't wait for her to meet the rest of the bridal party!!) They are both from out of town, and we live with another girl in the bridal party who is helping throw it, so it will still be at our house even though technically we aren't hosting lol. Anyways, historically we've always thrown parties together so we're all getting into the planning, what fun things did you do at yours? Was it mostly like other parties? 


    There doesn't need to be anything different from a typical party than for an engagement party.  Good food, drinks, and company go a long way when planning a party. 

    The party should not be pot luck, it should be fully hosted by the hosts.  Unless an invited guest offers to bring something, any guest invited should just show up and enjoy the party.  There does not need to be any games.

    Thanks! A night of food and drinks and finally having my best friends from different states together sounds like heaven!
  • Try to ensure all the guests are also on your wedding invitation list. No one should be invited to a pre-wedding party if they are not invited to the main event.
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  • Our best man and maid of honor want to throw us a less formal engagement party later this month (maid of honor is visiting from out of state and I can't wait for her to meet the rest of the bridal party!!) They are both from out of town, and we live with another girl in the bridal party who is helping throw it, so it will still be at our house even though technically we aren't hosting lol. Anyways, historically we've always thrown parties together so we're all getting into the planning, what fun things did you do at yours? Was it mostly like other parties? 
    Whoa!  You have your bridal party chosen and you haven't even officially announced your engagement?  When Is your wedding?  I see trouble ahead.
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  • CMGragain said:
    Our best man and maid of honor want to throw us a less formal engagement party later this month (maid of honor is visiting from out of state and I can't wait for her to meet the rest of the bridal party!!) They are both from out of town, and we live with another girl in the bridal party who is helping throw it, so it will still be at our house even though technically we aren't hosting lol. Anyways, historically we've always thrown parties together so we're all getting into the planning, what fun things did you do at yours? Was it mostly like other parties? 
    Whoa!  You have your bridal party chosen and you haven't even officially announced your engagement?  When Is your wedding?  I see trouble ahead.
    My aunt threw me an e-party 9 months after we got engaged. I did feel it was a little gauche, but even so, plenty of people announce their engagement and then have e-parties to celebrate some time later. And maybe she's having a six-month engagement.
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  • I had a 40th birthday planned for my now H without knowing he was proposing while we were on vacation two weeks before. So, when his birthday party rolled around, we had just gotten engaged, and it was the first time our friends/relatives were seeing us. So somehow it turned into an engagement party, even though I never billed it like that. Anyway, I served lots of good food and booze. That's really all you need. 
  • CMGragain said:
    Our best man and maid of honor want to throw us a less formal engagement party later this month (maid of honor is visiting from out of state and I can't wait for her to meet the rest of the bridal party!!) They are both from out of town, and we live with another girl in the bridal party who is helping throw it, so it will still be at our house even though technically we aren't hosting lol. Anyways, historically we've always thrown parties together so we're all getting into the planning, what fun things did you do at yours? Was it mostly like other parties? 
    Whoa!  You have your bridal party chosen and you haven't even officially announced your engagement?  When Is your wedding?  I see trouble ahead.
    Our wedding is October 1st :) Besides parent's friends who got married while I was a kid I have never really seen the engagement process- I didn't even realize until now that you aren't supposed to announce your engagement until the engagement party. I have so much to learn! None of our wedding party has been involved in a wedding before ours either so we're all figuring it out lol. 
  • CMGragain said:
    Our best man and maid of honor want to throw us a less formal engagement party later this month (maid of honor is visiting from out of state and I can't wait for her to meet the rest of the bridal party!!) They are both from out of town, and we live with another girl in the bridal party who is helping throw it, so it will still be at our house even though technically we aren't hosting lol. Anyways, historically we've always thrown parties together so we're all getting into the planning, what fun things did you do at yours? Was it mostly like other parties? 
    Whoa!  You have your bridal party chosen and you haven't even officially announced your engagement?  When Is your wedding?  I see trouble ahead.
    Our wedding is October 1st :) Besides parent's friends who got married while I was a kid I have never really seen the engagement process- I didn't even realize until now that you aren't supposed to announce your engagement until the engagement party. I have so much to learn! None of our wedding party has been involved in a wedding before ours either so we're all figuring it out lol. 
    That's not a thing. You can announce your engagement whenever, although I think it's best to personally tell your family and any close friends first before doing social media. You definitely do not need to wait for your engagement party - because you don't even have to have one, and other people throw it for you anyway! 
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  • Parties are always fun - go for it!  I'd like to echo @artbyallie 's comment about only inviting people invited to the wedding.  Chances are at this point, you may not have your guest list set (and that's okay).  Make sure your best man & maid of honor only invite guests you are confident that you'll invite to the wedding.  

    And definitely stick around!  :)
  • We did an "I Do BBQ" in the backyard at his Dad's house. It was casual and laid back and perfect. 
  • We did an "I Do BBQ" in the backyard at his Dad's house. It was casual and laid back and perfect. 
    That is adorable! I love that ;)
  • If waiting for an engagement party to announce your engagement is the rule, then what are those who don't have an E-party supposed to do?  Never announce it?  See how ridiculous that "rule" is?

  • Echoing others that all you need for an E party is good company (all invited to the wedding) good food, and good booze if booze is normal for your crowd. 

    My circles really don't do the engagement parties. I was invited to a really nice one once (a hired bartender and DJ were involved) but there was actually a party favor... a keyring that was a big ole fat faux-diamond ring. So um, my advice is to SKIP favors at an engagement party.... 
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  • This is going to be super unpopular, but we hosted our own engagement party at our house, mostly because a lot of our family members hadn't seen it yet (we just bought our first home and moved in in April)
    It was very casual, and super fun. We only invited our immediate family and wedding parties (about 30 guests).  We had board games, lots of great food and drinks, and got to celebrate our engagement and our new home with our family and closest friends all at once.  I really don't see an issue with having the party at your house or hosting it yourselves (though I know you said you aren't technically doing that :))
    To answer your question, yeah it was pretty much any other party, but the main difference was that we had our families and friends there at the same time which made for a very different dynamic.  I don't know about you, but I don't usually invite my aunts and uncles and grandparents to our house parties haha. Like I said, we had board games out and a buffet and mini bar available all afternoon/evening so people were helping themselves to food and drink, mingling and some were playing a round of Scrabble or Yahtzee.  I'm glad we hosted our own party, because it felt like we were saying "We're really excited about being engaged, come celebrate with us!"  Which is exactly what we wanted.  Congrats, and hope your party is awesome!
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