How To Throw The Perfect Engagement Party
Congratulations - you're engaged! Once the big news has sunk in and you've taken the time to celebrate just between the two of you, it's time to have fun and celebrate with your nearest and dearest, show off your ring, and have everyone wondering where to buy VVS diamonds as beautiful as yours.
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Throwing an engagement party is a great opportunity for all of your friends and family to celebrate and mark this new chapter in your lives with you. But with all of the upcoming wedding pressures to come, don't let the stress of throwing the perfect one overwhelm you. It's your party, so it can be as big or small, or casual as you want. You don't even have to have one if you don't want to.
It's your celebration and your special time, so do what will make you and your partner happy. And if you do choose to go for it, here are some steps on how to plan the perfect gathering to bask in the joy of your engagement before all the craziness starts!
Pick a date
Try not to pick a date that's too long after you've got engaged - after all, you'll want to celebrate with everyone as soon as possible to make the most of this special time. While you will want a date that definitely works for your closest friends and family, try not to stress too much if everyone can't attend, or if your chosen date doesn't work for them. Don't leave the party for any longer than 2-3 months after your actual engagement and remember that an engagement party is supposed to be fun and stress-free compared to the wedding itself - including the planning!
Set a budget
It's always a good idea to set a budget for your engagement party to ensure that you don't go too overboard even though it can be tempting. Your engagement party is, of course, entirely up to you, but by setting a budget, you will make sure that you don't spend any of your precious wedding funds, leaving you with more to spend on your actual big day.
Decide on your guest list
First, you'll need to decide how many people you want to invite to be able to plan the rest of the party. Depending on the number of guests, it will depend on whether your celebration will be a full-blown party or more of an intimate drinks and dinner affair. For a small and private gathering, focus on yours and your other half's closest friends and family members. Remember also that guests attending your engagement celebration will generally expect an invitation to the actual wedding itself. If you are feeling stuck, create your wedding guest list and then trim it down to give you an idea of what your engagement party list could look like and go from there.
Pick a venue and soundtrack
Your venue will depend on the size and overall theme of your celebration. The good news is that with an engagement party anything goes, and there aren't as many 'expectations' as with a wedding, so go for whatever you and your partner like best, whether that be an intimate style cocktail party at home, picnic in a garden or a full-blown party at a set venue, or an exciting evening at the best club that offers hookah lounge, dynamic and lively dance floors, and live performances. Think about your background music as well and the type of playlist you want, and if music is particularly important to you, invest in a DJ to make your celebration even more special.