Engagement Party 101: The Ultimate Guide | Paperless Post (2023)

FAQs

What do you say in an engagement party speech? ›

Speak to their relationship and the love they share, tell everyone a short story about how they met, and toast with all the enthusiasm and warmth to the wonderful future they have ahead of them.” End your toast with a nod of positivity and all the beautiful moments to come.

Ideally, you'll want to host your engagement party sooner rather than later while the excitement is still fresh! Between 2-4 months of your engagement is generally a good window. This way, you can allow yourself a few weeks to relish in your “just engaged” bubble, before diving headfirst into the wedding planning.

Who throws the engagement party? Tradition has it that the bride's parents host the initial gathering, but the groom's parents can then throw their own party, or both sets of parents can come together to host the fete.

Engagement parties generally last about 4 hours only so plan for food and drink accordingly. Also, you don't need a fancy expensive cake like you'll want for your wedding. You can serve any dessert you like, no worries.

Congratulations, wishing you all the best together." "May this engagement be the beginning of everlasting happiness and commitment to one another." "It's a truly wonderful thing that you have found each other. All the best with your wedding plans."

Don't: Separate the Families

During an engagement party, both the bride and groom's families should be encouraged to mix and mingle throughout the party. This might be the first time the newly engaged couple's families are meeting, so it's important to make it count and give them time to get to know one another.

Speeches, or toasts, are a heartfelt part of an engagement party. The best of them will be touching, funny, or a combination of the two, and they usually happen once the celebration is well underway.

The good thing is that gifts are not often required for engagement parties, so you can make a relaxed decision. If you do decide on taking something, engagement party gift ideas could range from a lovely book, to some wine, or even a cute picture frame.

Who pays for the engagement party? This expense is traditionally covered by the bride's family since they often host the engagement party at their house as a way to welcome and bring together the two families (usually for the first time!).

Who hosts the engagement party traditionally? ›

Traditionally the engagement party is hosted by the bride's parents, but can also be given by friends of the bride and groom, or other relatives. Yes, you can have two or more parties; one for relatives and family friends, for instance, and another for your own friends.

While engagement gifts from parents aren't required, they're certainly welcome and appreciated, especially if the couple is having an engagement party. But, since it's just the first of many celebrations, there's no need to go overboard. A thoughtful card is an appropriate gesture and anything else is extra.

Should we have a cake? This is completely up to you! We've seen couples organise anything from a gelato cart to a dessert buffet and some not worry about this detail at all.

Everyone at the engagement party should be invited to the wedding, but not everyone invited to the wedding needs to be invited to the engagement party. Typically, engagement parties are more intimate than weddings, with a range of 10 to 75 people.

Simple and Happy Engagement Quotes

Congratulations on your engagement! Congratulations to you both for your special occasion! So happy to hear the news. Big congratulations!

Engagement advice: make sure the ring is really tight so it can never be taken off! Congratulations on your engagement😀😀. I can't wait to Instagram the wedding! Happy engagement wishes we all 🙄🙄send to you, now all we wanna know is when's the baby due?

Three Golden Rules of Engagement: Frequency = Depth, Empathy is Everything & Feelings First: Facts Second, Part 3. Our six-year old son, apparently knows far more about effective communication than I do.

What color should you not wear to an engagement party? ›

Should guests wear white to an engagement party? For any wedding-related event, like an engagement party, it's best for guests to avoid wearing white. The shade has such a strong bridal association that it's just considered respectful not to wear it.

Another important element when planning an engagement party is, of course, the food. You certainly don't have to serve a five-course sit-down dinner with an open bar (unless you want to), but there should definitely be something to munch and sip on at your party.

Go for a simple cotton print dress for a daytime engagement party, or choose an elegant print silk gown for an evening engagement party.

How much money do you give at an engagement party? The standard amount to give as a wedding gift is $100 to $200. Give less than this as an engagement party gift. Somewhere between $50 and $75 is appropriate.

Parents of the bride and groom collectively contribute about $19,000 to the wedding, or about two-thirds of the total cost, according to WeddingWire. The bride's parents give an average $12,000, and the groom's, $7,000. Just 1 in 10 couples pays for the wedding entirely on their own, according to TheKnot.com.

Traditionally, the engagement party is hosted by the bride's parents, but friends of the bride and groom and other relatives may want to organize the gathering as well. The couple may opt to have two or more parties: one for relatives and family friends, for instance, and another for their own friends.

Unless you're having a rager with just your best friends, save the dancing for your wedding. The goal of your engagement parties is to allow people to talk and actually hear one another, so avoid hosting the party at a very loud restaurant or playing super-loud music during the festivities.

Can the groom's parents host the engagement party? Anyone can host the engagement party, but tradition for bride and groom couples dictates that the bride's parents have first dibs on the soirée.

One of the best ways to have guests (who may not know each other) mingle and get acquainted is to play a few engagement party games and icebreakers. Of course, playing engagement party games definitely isn't mandatory engagement party etiquette, but it can only add to the fun.

What must daughters do for engagement? ›

The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter's engagement. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. Thus, the presence of the baker's furnace in the village is absolutely essential.

Traditionally, the groom's mother will take care of the rehearsal dinner arrangements and help prepare the guest list for the groom's side of the family. Both tasks should be done with both the bride and the groom's input. Any other responsibilities can be negotiated among the families.

We're here to help. The good news is, there are no rules about parents meeting before a couple gets engaged. "It really can be before or after," says Lizzie Post, an etiquette expert and co-author of Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette 6th Edition.

If the bride's parents are hosting, which is typical of the engagement party, one of them-usually Dad-makes the first speech. He welcomes the guests and toasts his daughter and her groom-to-be, regaling the crowd with a sweet anecdote about the bride. If someone else is hosting, that person should make the first toast.

Traditionally the event is held by the bride's family and the father gives the opening speech. However things are not always traditional! The speech could also be delivered by the groom-to-be, the bride-to-be, the mother of the bride or groom, a close friend of either of them, or a much respected senior family member.

Do you give speeches at an engagement parties? Yes, speeches are essential at an engagement party. The best people to give speeches are the new couple. If they're not up to it, the parents or mutual friends are great alternatives.

At an engagement party hosted by the bride's parents, the bride's father proposes a toast to the bride and groom, followed by the groom toasting his bride-to-be and her parents and his own parents. At a more informal affair hosted by friends, anyone can make a toast at anytime. The engaged couple should toast the host.

First and foremost, an engagement toast should be about the couple, though you can also talk about them as individuals. Think about your personal relationship with the pair and use that to inspire the anecdotes you tell or reflections you share.

Listening to what your audience says is one of the most important parts of being a successful public speaker. Your audience may point out things that you do while speaking that you may have not noticed before. Take every feedback as constructive criticism and apply it to your future speeches.

Who gets the man's engagement ring? ›

Traditionally, the man will buy his partner their engagement ring ahead of the proposal. Sometimes, the partner will choose their ring after the proposal. In both of these scenarios, that still leaves the man questioning whether he will have to pay for his own ring, or if the partner is expected to pay.

If so, make sure you do it,” Blum says. “And when the time comes, get down on one knee, with the ring box in your hand, and actually say 'Will you marry me? ' followed by your intended's name.”

Sociologists researched traits that men tend to want their potential wife to have. These preferences include: Mutual attraction and love. Passion and friendship.

The good thing is that gifts are not often required for engagement parties, so you can make a relaxed decision. If you do decide on taking something, engagement party gift ideas could range from a lovely book, to some wine, or even a cute picture frame.

Nowadays, it's common for guests to bring a gift to an engagement party, but it's usually something small and sentimental. Don't feel pressured to give an elaborate or expensive item. If you wish to bring something, you can, but bring it to the gathering itself.