An engagement party is one of the most important occasions in the life of a couple since it marks the beginning of their journey together for an eternity. Usually, couples announce their decision to spend the rest of their life with each other in a pre-wedding party. Moreover, this bash kicks off a series of functions and ceremonies that are normally conducted before your wedding.
Apart from breaking the big news, engagement parties are ideal to get the friends and family members of the bride and the groom together. This will make it easier for them to mingle on your wedding day and make your important day a big hit. However, there are certain things that you must avoid prior to, during, and after your grand engagement bash. Below are some of those sticky situations that you can avoid.
Assuming That the Bride’s Parents Will Host the Party
Traditionally, it was the responsibility of the bride’s parents to throw an engagement party to celebrate the union of their daughter and their would-be son-in-law. However, things have changed now, and anyone can host an pre-wedding party for the couple of honor. It can be the groom’s parents, or friends, relatives, or siblings of the couple. In fact, a couple can have more than one engagement celebration. Note that if the families of the partners are staying in different parts of the world, both the parents of the bride as well as the groom may host separate engagement parties for the couple.
Inviting People Who are Not Included in the Wedding Guest List
Some people may make their engagement bash a grand affair and their guest list will be really big. This is actually a huge mistake if you are not planning to invite all these people to your wedding function as well. In most cases, your engagement guests will assume that they are invited to your wedding function as well and it will hurt their feelings if you skip them. So, while deciding on the invitation list for your pre-wedding bash as well as the wedding party, take consent from the host, the couple, and both the families in order to avoid such mistakes.
Assuming That you Will or Will Not Get Engagement Gifts
Some couples may expect some gifts from the guests. However, it is totally up to the guests whether to gift you something. Note that it is not a proper etiquette to demand gifts from your guests for a pre-wedding party. On the other hand, some couples may opt for a “no gift” policy to be polite. Yet, some guests may love to gift you something, and hence, it is better to set up your wedding website and registry accordingly. This will make it easier for the guests to purchase the gifts for you.
Making the Engagement Ceremony a Formal Affair
An engagement party is just the beginning and there will be many ceremonies and functions before you finally exchange the vows. So, it is better to keep it informal and casual. This will make your friends and family more comfortable even if they do not know each other well. Moreover, it will make it easier for the couple of honor to deal well with their guests. Backyard BBQ or casual eatery parties will be a great way to make your pre-wedding party super exciting and entertaining. Including some thrilling games will also be a great option.
Making your Parents to Meet Each Other for the First Time
Most couples consider their engagement party as a platform for their friends and relatives to mingle with each other well. However, it is not a good idea to do the same with your parents too, since they might be playing the main role in your engagement bash. So, try to make them meet before the function, be it on the previous night of the pre-wedding bash or on the morning of your engagement function. This will make them easier for them bond well with each other during the function.
Playing Loud Music
As said, an engagement party should be casual and allow your friends and relatives to meet and bond with each other. Hence, it is not a proper etiquette to disturb them with thudding music. You can save this for your wedding party. In fact, it is recommended to avoid including a dance floor in the pre-wedding party venue as well, since it may distract your guests. On the flip side, playing soft music in the background will be a great option to spruce up the overall ambiance.
Not Sending a Thank you Note
Most couples may avoid the custom of giving a thank you note to their guests after the engagement party. Traditionally, couples used to send handwritten thank you note to each and every guest who attended the party as a token of their love. This gesture is actually an appreciation of their presence during the celebration of one of the most important milestones in your life. In case you cannot write the note manually, you may print beautiful thank you notes using different templates and send them to your guests.
