What's Involved in Planning an Engagement Party?

Engagement parties are often the beginning of the festivities surrounding a wedding. Follow these tips to plan a memorable one.

• Get out your calendar and coordinate a date with the couple.
• Write down all of the elements of the party: the invitation, the food, the drink, the entertainment, the decor, and make a realistic budget for the event.
• Many engagement parties are held in homes, restaurants, or at creative locales, such as: the beach, on a boat, an art museum, a vineyard.
• Work with the couple on the guest list. All of the people invited to the engagement party should be invited to the wedding. The invitation also sets the tone for the party and can convey any theme you’re planning
• If you’re having an at-home party, think of cooking yourself or having a potluck. If you’re not a whiz in the kitchen, call a professional caterer. The caterer can help you devise a menu, and provide staff who serve and clean up.
• Serve only wine, good-quality beer, and mineral water at a serve-yourself bar, or have a fully stocked bar staffed by a professional bartender.
• Toasts are traditionally a part of engagement parties. The father of the bride is usually the first to toast, followed by the groom and whoever else wants to chime in. Set aside some time for toasting -- usually about two-thirds of the way through the event.
• Entertainment can indeed enhance the mood at an engagement party, although it’s not necessary. A pianist playing in your living room while guests mingle in your home, a mariachi band, a lounge singer, or a steel band -- whatever works best with your theme.