There are certainly many different ways to announce the news of an engagement, and you and your new fiancé should feel free to be as creative as you’d like to be with this event. Traditionally speaking, however, a cocktail party or dinner event can be a wonderful way to announce an engagement. Normally the host of the party (the bride’s father, in many cases) will announce the engagement and may give a short speech to congratulate the couple. If space allows, having this celebration at the bride’s or groom’s home is a great way to celebrate with close family and friends.
Depending on the time of year, you may wish to consider combining your engagement party with a holiday event – for example, announcing your engagement at a Christmas or New Year’s Eve party.
For a more casual atmosphere, consider asking your guests to prepare their favorite dish and request that they also bring along the recipe so that you can add it to your collection.
For more elaborate engagement parties, you might choose to rent a separate venue, hire a caterer, order floral arrangements, etc. As with all wedding-related events, the sky’s the limit! 🙂
Keep in mind that one of the main purposes of an engagement party is for the two families to meet and start to get to know each other. A great way to “break the ice” is to plan some fun games into the event, such as a trivia challenge where guests will have to answer questions related to the bride and groom-to-be.
After you decide the where and when, pull together a guest list for the engagement party. Then use this same list later on to record any gifts that you may have received, and whether or not you’ve sent a thank-you card yet.
Some important planning information that you’ll want to keep track of while planning your engagement party includes the following:
- Date and time of party
- Event location
- Contact person
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses