Engagement Party Checklist and Planning Ideas

This is a comprehensive engagement party checklist and some ideas to help you plan your engagement party.

To Compromise

* Notice of commitment in the newspaper, Facebook, etc.

* Organize engagement party (easy to create an event on Facebook to invite your friends)
Engagement Party Checklist

* Date and Time (Most engagement parties are held on Saturday nights, but the Sunday breakfast or brunch option is also a popular option. Always check for any events held locally or nationally that may not coincide with her date, she won’t want to know she’s picked the soccer grand final, unless you want to include her in your theme!)

* Guest List (Normally there are not as many guests as at the wedding, but it’s totally up to you! Also don’t forget if the children can come)

* To lease (Usually the parent’s house or your house, but places can be great for uncomplicated entertaining, or even a river cruise!)

* Budget (It’s hard not to get carried away when you’re excited about the wedding, but try to see the total amount you can afford and work backwards from there. For example, if you have a budget of $1,200 and 40 people, then you have $30 per person, who will determine if you can get catering, etc.)

* dress code – Casual/Formal/Black Tie etc. (remember to include in your invitations)

* Theme and color theme (a good time to introduce your wedding theme on a smaller scale and try out some ideas)

* Entertainment/Music (Hire a band/DJ or even a jukebox)

* Food catering (Another way to save money is to have guests “bring a plate” instead of gifts, but there are plenty of options, like a barbecue, or serve it with a barbecue or cocktail-style. Some caterers offer only platters of food, which can be a good option to “recharge” what you may already be providing)

* Alcohol and drinks (guests usually expect a bit of booze, wine and beer are the cheapest with some fruit juices. It’s also a good time to come up with a “signature cocktail” to use at the wedding, or sample a few and have them guests vote for the best one!)

* Cake (to save money do it yourself, or recruit family or friends instead of a gift. Cupcakes are another option that you can make yourself and freeze ahead of time, you can thaw and decorate the day before. Some bakeries allow you to buy cakes” in white” which will save you time in the kitchen and you can simply decorate and ice. Fresh flowers are great for instant and effective decoration on a cake)

* invitations (a lot of people just email invites now, and you can get email templates or customizable printable invites from Etsy and Madeit, alternatively you can have them professionally printed)

* decorations (add instant color with balloons, most party supply stores can do custom helium designs fairly cheaply, or rent your own cylinder, get some friends and DIY depending on your weather the later you have to do the balloons, the hotter the less time Try to do your decoration the day before, it is also important that if the party is at night to see what the place looks like, you may need to add some rental fairy lights, under lights bamboo trees, chandeliers and torches, etc. set the mood.Another option is flowers in vases, these can often be bought in bulk from market vendors, and simply sprinkle masses of rose petals around the candles. tea on tables, gardens, and the driveway can have a cost-effective yet surprising impact.

* gifts (Consider how far away the party is from the wedding, as you don’t want to disturb guests too often. If you’re already settled in at home, it’s okay to ask for money instead of gifts on your invitations. Guests will need some direction, so making it easy for them to invite you is the best way, donating to a charity is another option)

* Organize any rental item – such as tables, chairs, lighting, crockery and cutlery, etc. (Party rental places have many options that you may not know about, such as small canopies, good for rain, carpet runners for your entrance, arches, vases, lighting, eskies, fabric drapes, etc. to decorate. Most has a price list you can refer to). download them or ask them to send you an email so you can know all your options before buying items)

* Videographer/Camera (Ask a few guests who have video cameras if they’d mind shooting video overnight, try following up with friends afterwards to take photos. It can be a huge regret later in life that you didn’t capture everything you wanted in the night. If your budget allows, a videographer can be a great way to capture memories. If you’ve already found your wedding photographer, many of them offer engagement photos as part of a package that can be great for invitations and keepsakes like well)

* games/activities (Depending on your guests and the venue, you can add some fun activities like wine and cheese tasting, karaoke machine, trivia contests, Twister, Wii or PlayStation contests, etc. If this is the first time your families are getting together , then you may have to assess the night as it goes along, but it’s always good to have something planned in advance if you may need to “break the ice” Guests can enjoy a little fun once they’ve had a few drinks! !)

* contingency plan (If your party is outdoors, you may need additional rain cover or move to a completely different location. You can check the weather from the previous year at the Weather Bureau, but always be prepared regardless of whether it “never rained in that time”. year”)

* make a run sheet (All event organizers have run sheets which are basically a timeline of what is happening and when, it also includes all of your vendors and contact details and numbers on one page of all relevant and involved people. You will need a run sheet A general run sheet that has each item listed in a table with two columns, one for whether it has been organized and the second for confirmation and payment A run sheet for the week and day leading up to the event is also helpful (depending on how your group is involved) you have friends/family doing (delegates!) certain things for you, it’s good to give them a checklist of their own if they have multiple things to do).

For example:

1 weekend – Bake cakes and freeze, clean the driveway, cut hair, check RSVPs, etc.
One day before – decorate cakes, pick up rental items, check weather forecast, get flowers, set lighting and check that night, etc.
Day of (this list should also include the time) – Collect balloon decorations, put drinks on ice, set up tables and chairs, etc.

The easiest way to make a runsheet is to literally look at each item in your list and figure out what needs to be done about it, e.g.

* Place (Mom and Dad’s house) –
1. Clean yard
2. Have Dad fix the door
3. Develop a lighting plan to deliver to Brother
4. Put flowers and extra toilet paper in the bathroom, etc.

*I-
1. Find a dress and accessories to wear
2. Get your hair done
3. Bring mom and dad emergency kit (makeup, hairspray, etc.)

Ratings – If you’re doing much of the prep yourself, be sure to leave time to shower and freshen up before your guests arrive, and don’t forget to eat and hydrate! If your budget allows, an event planner is always a good option, but make sure you have solid ideas about what you want beforehand to save money. A mood board of images that you have found, cut out and placed on a few pages to give them a visual idea of ​​what you want is also very helpful. Family and friends may want to “say a few words” at your engagement party, make sure you talk to those people first to make sure there are no surprises that day. Above all, have fun and see this as a “dress rehearsal” for the next exciting event: your wedding!