There aren’t many things in life that can compare with the experience of getting engaged to the love of your life. When you make the decision to spend the rest of your life with one person, that is no ordinary occasion — and it shouldn’t be treated like one.
You’re no doubt looking forward to your wedding day, but why not celebrate the moment with an engagement party? It’s the perfect opportunity to bring both families together before the wedding day, show off your engagement ring, and celebrate with friends and family. Continue reading to get tips to make your engagement party an event you’ll remember forever.
It’s all about the ring.
You got engaged because you love your partner — but don’t kid yourself, the ring is the true star of the engagement. It probably will also be the main attraction at the engagement party.
If you’re looking for a high-quality diamond ring on a tight budget, you should consider lab-created engagement rings. Lab-created diamonds have the same physical and chemical properties as natural diamonds but cost around 30 percent less.
In addition, lab-created diamonds are conflict-free and ethically sourced. That means they weren’t mined from a war disputed territory or through the use of slave labor. Instead, they’re formed in a lab through a process that mimics how diamonds are created in nature. The biggest difference is that a lab-created diamond can be made in weeks where it takes billions of years to form a natural diamond.
Decide what kind of party you’re going to throw.
There’s no right or wrong way to celebrate your engagement, but you need to pick a style of party and plan appropriately. You can do a formal party with all the elegance of a Hollywood awards ceremony or a simple barbecue. The choice is yours.
The location of your party should mirror its theme. If you decide to go with a formal celebration, then rent out a ballroom in a nice hotel. Serve a gourmet meal that will make your dad do weird things — like kissing his fingertips and say “Magnifique!”
Compile your guest list.
When deciding who to invite to your engagement party, you need to keep your wedding guest list in mind. Ideally, everyone at your engagement party will be at your wedding, but not everyone you invite to your wedding should be at the party.
Your engagement party should be a more intimate affair — even if you throw a casual party. Your guest list should include your immediate family, your wedding party, and your closest acquaintances. Consider it a gathering for the people who will be most integral to your future family.
Decide on a dress code.
Regardless of the type of party you throw, you want people to dress for the occasion. If you’re throwing an extravagant soiree, then you don’t want your guests to show up in casual attire.
Quite naturally, the bride to be should also be the belle of the ball. To foreshadow the wedding, you should dawn an elegant white dress — but nothing so fancy that it will upstage your wedding dress.
Let the drinks flow.
An engagement party is an opportunity for many of the family members and friends of the couple to meet for the first time. While all should go well, there’s still no better icebreaker for parties than cocktails and champagne. Stock the bar with light drinks that will help people to loosen up.
Give a toast.
At some point during the party, you should propose a toast to your future as well as to your guests for showing up. It’s best to have something already prepared rather than to try to come up with the perfect words on the spot.
Speaking off the cuff isn’t necessarily the best way to express your excitement for the future or gratitude for the moment. Pen your words and practice your toast so that you’ll be ready when the time comes.
