Engaged – Time To Party
6 Steps To Plan An Engagement Party To Remember
You’ve just got engaged – time for a party! Although not as big a job as the wedding itself, a great engagement party still requires some planning for it to be a roaring success. Here are 6 easy steps…
1. Pick a host – Traditionally, it’s the bride’s family, although these days it’s normal to have both sets of parents to host along with the couple. This shares the responsibility of organising as well as the cost.
2. Work out the basic numbers – That’s guest numbers and budget. Be realistic in both cases. You don’t have to work out the exact who’s who of invitees, but a rough idea will be needed as costs for catering in particular (whether you have the party at home or a professional venue) depend on how many people are likely to show up.
3. Choose a venue – Using the numbers you just worked out, you can find the right place. Bear in mind that a DIY party will involve more work, including cleaning up afterwards. There may also be a limit on the number of people a home can easily cater to.
4. Plan the theme – Not required, and you don’t need to make it a costume party, but some sort of theme adds to the fun. There are plenty of online articles suggesting themes such as a garden party, salsa dance night, disco nightclub – the list is endless.
5. Send out invites – Creating the guest list and sending the invites can help you decide who you want to invite to your wedding. Be aware that people invited to the engagement party are likely to expect an invite to the big day. Also be prepared for people to turn down the invitation because they have other commitments. That is much less likely to happen with wedding invites.
6. Capture the memories – It’s a special occasion, so think about hiring a photographer for an hour or two, or hire a photo booth. Relying on friends to get good pictures may work out okay, but you’ll only know once it’s too late.
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