Wedding Planning - Party Forum - Learn to Decorate with Tulle & More

carolineR · Guest

Hi,
My friend recently got engaged and we want to throw her an engagement party. Any ideas on a different type of party? I'd like it to stand out from regular (birthday etc.) celebrations. Any ideas would be great. Thanks!

Caroline

chachel75 · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 6 Location: Hoboken, NJ

Some people are of the philosophy that the Bride and Groom are the theme ( with romatice lace and hearts, champagne etc) but I have been to a lot of great engagement parties and showers with very cute themes!!
New Years theme shower - would also work for engagement party (the couple was getting married on Jan 1st)
Luau- summer engagment party... if you had it out doors, tiki torches, hula skirts, greeat music, leis!!
If there is something about the couple that is unique that is a good way to go. If they met studying abroad in Paris... that is a good theme.
If they both love the Yankee, Phillies, Red Sox or met at a game, use that.
If the couple both love NY there are some cute invites here that I saw with the NY sky line. I am thinking about those for our rehersal dinner.
You can carry the theme thru from invite to favor!
If I think of anything else, I will let you know!
-R

Amyg · Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Posts: 1

An engement party is a great way for members of the Bride and Grooms wedding party to meet and for the Bride and Groom's families to socialize and celerate together especially if the families and friends do not live near each other. Everyone will be communicating in preperation for the wedding so what better way for everyone to meet.

One thing to keep in mind is who to invite b/c you do not want to turn this into a mini-wedding and the travel time/distance of those invited.

If the bride and groom's families do not live in the same town or state finding a half-way point if possible makes for a unique and special occasion as well as makes everyone feel appreciated. But this is not always a possiblity.

If this party is a surprise for your friend try to talk to the parents or some family member to make sure that no one who shoulod be included in the day is left out...

birdwoman · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1

One thing to consider is how many are you planning to host. My fiance and I are in a position to need to be quit creative. We've got family all up and down the east coast and his parents are from each extreme. Not to mention our families have never met. We've decided to do something to include ALL of both side of his family and both sides of mine. That's a lot of people.

We thought it best to save the engagement party for the rehearsal party. Instead of a formal rehearsal dinner party for just the bridal party, we're working on a unique location to have a cocktail party instead. We want to include all of the folks that are traveling so far to be with us on our day. We felt they deserved more than just a couple chaotic hours of our time at the reception. It won't be as fancy of a party as the reception but at least everyone will get a bite to eat, share a drink and some less distracted conversation with the bride and groom. Not to mention it will give the families time to mingle and get to know each other.

Just a thought.

mary11374 · Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 1

Hi-
There are a lot of great places to shop online. If you're on a budget, you can find everything from wholesale flowers to wholesale fabrics and decorations online. Also, check out Ebay for sellers who do custom orders for centerpieces and personalized items (ribbons, etc.). Recently, I helped a relative plan for her engagement party and bridal shower, and I found that Party Innovations (9 times out of 10) had the best prices. Good Luck!

singmisty · Joined: 15 Sep 2005 Posts: 1

We're having a Jack and Jill with a cruise theme. We are going on a cruise for our honeymoon. I'm looking forward to it. My advice - include some alcoholic beverages if situations allow. You'll get more people. I'm noticing that older people don't understand this concept, they think you have to invite everyone that you invited to the party to the wedding. They don't realize it is a fundraiser for the bride and groom. Hope everyone is having an easier time planning their wedding than I am. I've hit road blocks every step of the way!!!

Samantha

joshnoah · Joined: 17 Jan 2006 Posts: 2

Engagement Party

A good idea for a party woould be a chocalate and a martini party.

amwimber · Joined: 18 Jan 2006 Posts: 1

My fiance and I have an upcoming engagement party and Valentine's day is the perfect time for it if you can pull it off by then. Very easy to decorate for and the love theme is very cute!

valeriescottwedding · Joined: 14 May 2006 Posts: 1 Location: New York

We had a great dessert party. It was done in all chocolate brown and red and all the desserts were bite size. It was a lot of fun and an easy way to entertain a lot of people.

csvincent · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1

This is actually a custom I found on a Jewish website and is customary to do at Jewish engagement party's. However, I am sure all faiths could use the idea. The mothers of the bride and groom should take a moment to congratulate the couple and then together take a plate and smash it. (You can buy a cheap ceramic plate). Then all of the single girls get a piece of the broken plate. This is supposed to bring them good luck and help in finding there soulmate someday so they can be a "hole plate" and complete again.

malachi9 · Joined: 10 Mar 2007 Posts: 2

I have been to several engagment parties that are rather stuffy and everyone, and usually not everyone is familliar with the other's family members completly, feel uncomfortable. I ruled out a few restraunts and halls for the engagment party and went with a party place called Jillian's, similar to a 'dave 'n buster's' depending which area you are in. People had fun, brought their kids, and everyone relaxed and played air hockey and such, no uncomfortable silences, munchies and wings cut down food costs and we even had fun!

margie · Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 1

Mexican - Have the bride start a Pinata game!!

malachi9 · Joined: 10 Mar 2007 Posts: 2

sometimes decor seems to add too much expense to an event; having a place that is very interesting to the eye is nice as it requires maybe just favors and a banner, I prefer to spend money on food and entertainment than to buy decor that will die or will only be used once...though I found good stuff on ebay for the wedding reception, much cheaper in the stores and borrowed little things from my already married girlfriends who were happy to get rid of some of the stuff they would never use again too.

Shotskis · Joined: 06 May 2008 Posts: 3 Location: USA

A friend of mine recently had his engagement party and made it a theme to match the ways time was when we were in High School. Had the 80's music going, had a 'Big Hair' contest, actually wipped out an old Atari 2600 (how long has it been you heard that), played Truth or Dare, had Jello Shots and Mad Dog 20/20, and many other things to bring everyone back in time. It was a blast!

Shotskis · Joined: 06 May 2008 Posts: 3 Location: USA

A friend of mine recently had his engagement party and made it a theme to match the ways time was when we were in High School. Had the 80's music going, had a 'Big Hair' contest, actually wipped out an old Atari 2600 (how long has it been you heard that), played Truth or Dare, had Jello Shots and Mad Dog 20/20, and many other things to bring everyone back in time. It was a blast!