Tips for Throwing an Awesome Engagement Party

Even in the instant-gratification era in which every major life event is documented on social media, engagement parties don’t seem to be going out of style. Most millennial couples have followed the trend of announcing their engagement on Instagram, and thus eliminated the need for personal announcements to distant relatives and friends. But they have no reason to forgo the chance to throw a party, right?

Traditions might have changed since your grandparents’ time, and the rules surrounding engagement parties have grown increasingly lax, but the basic idea remains the same: Celebrate the happy couple, wish them well, and have some great times surrounded by your closest friends. Whether you’re the bride’s parents, the groom’s parents, or the couple throwing the party themselves, read on for some tips on engagement party basics. With a soirée of this quality, your guests will be itching to get invited to the wedding itself.

Host a wine tasting.

 Themed engagement parties are the latest trend, and they make a lot of sense for practical reasons. If you come up with a creative theme to center the event around, you can easily dream up suitable decor ideas, brainstorm unique game ideas, and create a party that serves a purpose without eliminating the personal touch that makes engagement parties so effective for reaching key future wedding guests.

Wine tastings are one of the most popular trends, mostly because they allow guests to mingle and talk as the couple makes an appearance. As the bride walks around, she can show off her bling, and tell the romantic story behind the proposal. Your single friends might take the hint and get inspired. Tell them they can find their own stunning engagement rings in Brisbane.

Encourage guests to bring their own bottle and share their particular favorite red or white, or select a few you think will be big hits. Need a fun wine-tasting game to incorporate into this theme? Do a blind taste test with wines from every continent, and see whether your guests can figure out where each wine was made.

Enforce a dress code.

 A dress code might sound old-fashioned at first, but nothing is more elegant and romantic, with the added bonus of exclusivity and luxury of your event. Even a relaxed engagement party at home can feel like a classy VIP event that only the couple’s closest friends get to attend after slipping beneath the velvet rope.

Black-and-white parties are a timeless trend that tends to get guests excited. Most women will already have a little black dress gathering dust at the back of their closet, and this could be the perfect occasion to encourage your best friends to wear their favorite sexy black dresses. Men can either wear blazers or suits, depending on how traditional you would like the arrangement to be. Of course, if you’re the bride, this is the time to wear white, while everyone else stuns in black.

Set up a photo booth.

 A well-designed party is photo-ready enough, but a fun vintage booth will provide guests with party favors they can take home, display on a mirror, and remember fondly. Everyone wants to feel like they’re a part of something, and if you know your friends are going to document your party on Instagram anyway, why not give them a trendy alternative to iPhone snaps?

You won’t have many better ways to encourage camaraderie between your friends and relatives, some of whom might be meeting for the first time, than by offering them the chance to squeeze into a tiny photo booth together, grab some props, and ham it up for the camera.