Archive for the ‘Engagement Party’ Category

Engagement Party Checklist

There are a lot of things to organise when planning an engagement party! Here is a checklist.

  • What type of party are you having? Is going to be a small get together at home or maybe a large catered party at a function room.
  • Engagement party theme. The theme may depend on the current climate or season, casual or formal.
  • Book in a venue. Unless you are having a home engagement party, it is vital to lock in that venue well in advance to ensure you do not get a last choice venue that is too far away.
  • Food & Drinks. This can tie in with the theme you have chosen. Cocktails and finger food may suit a formal party in a function room
  • Send out the invites. Once you have organised the above it is safe to send out the invites to family and friends.
  • Entertainment. To keep the party alive you may decide to hire a DJ or a jukebox for the evening.
  • Decorations. It is the day of the party and you have a few short hours to get to the venue and set up some decorations!

Once this is all done you can grab a drink and enjoy the night.

Hawaiian Engagement Party theme

Engagement party themes can be a great way to make your guest feel more comfortable. Most of your guest will not know each other so this option can great for couples who don’t want a more traditional engagement party such as formal dinner party.

hawaii engagement party themeA Hawaiian theme can be a fun way to celebrate your engagement party.

First, let your guests know to arrive in bright coloured Hawaiian shirts, dresses or hula grass skirts.

flower leiBuy flower leis to hand out to your guests on the night, greeting them with the traditional Hawaiian Aloha. Most costume shops sell plastic leis, but they can also be found in variety shops such as the Reject Shop or the Warehouse.

When everyone has arrived you can play a quick name game that will help break the ice and help your guests remember each other. The Hawaiian alphabet only contains 12 letters, A, E, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, U, and W.

So here is how to work out your Hawaiian name.

Replace B, F, P with P
Replace C, D, G, J, K, Q, S, T, X, Z with K
Replace H with H
Replace N with N
Replace L, R with L
Replace V, W with W
Replace Y with I

Vowels remain the same.  Also be sure to separate all consonants with a vowel.  For example, Barbara would be PALAPALA because there must be a vowel between the “r” and “b” in Barbara.

If you get stuck there are many online Hawaiian name generators on the internet that can help you.

Wherever you decide to have your engagement party, be sure that the place is decorated in a tropical theme. Many venues have Hawaiian themed function rooms and also many other great themes you can choose from.

If you decide to have the engagement party at home you could use bamboo blinds as props or even serve drinks in coconut shells. You are limited only by your own imagination.

Remember, have fun. While it is great to make sure your guests are having a good time, don’t forget to enjoy the night yourself!

Getting your guests to mingle?

Engagement parties can be quite an awkward social experience for some. People can form opinions within minutes of meeting you and can take years to change.

But with a mixture of friends and two families it can be hard to encourage people to mingle and to break away from groups they feel comfortable with.

Here are a few tips or suggestions that could speed up the introductions.

engagement partyAlcohol. This can be a bit of a double-edged sword at parties. While it may help some people come out of their shell a bit, it could get out of hand as the night wears on. A bad situation at your engagement party could turn into a major catastrophe at your wedding! So be sure to provide plenty of non-alcoholic drinks such as water and soft drink.

Photo Board. A photo board can be a great talking point, with photos of friends and family. It gives people a chance to engage in a conversation with people they haven’t met about the photographs.

Bridal Party Introductions. Why not make early use of your bridal party and get them to introduce people? The bride and groom can often get stuck talking to family for long periods of time so having the bridal party introducing themselves and others can help break the ice.

Games. Games can be another great ice-breaker. Whether it is organising a group game or simply hiring a venue that has a pool table, it can help people ease into conversation and liven up the party for your guests.

Do you have any other great ice-breaking party ideas? Leave a comment below.

Where to have your engagement party?

It’s a tough choice. There are probably a few factors worth considering before making a choice.

  • Cost (Did you have a budget in mind?)
  • Location (Central to your guests?)
  • Mess (Do you want to be cleaning up the day after?)
  • Supplies (Food, drink, invitations, helpers)
  • Tradition (Is your family or partners family going to like the decision you make?)

With these things in mind, do you want to have your engagement party at home or a venue? Both have pros and cons that you and your partner need to weigh up before making a decision.

At Homeengagement parties

Having your engagement party at your house or parents house can be cost effective way to celebrate without having to dip into your wedding day savings. There are many different styles of engagement parties that you can have at home such as:

  • Formal dinner party. This could be a small select group of friends and family to share this special event. This could include cocktails and finger food.
  • Informal “open house” party. For that more relaxed BBQ style of party, with people popping in over the day and continuing into the night.
  • Fancy dress party. If your not one for tradition, why not make it a fun party that everyone will remember. Do something fun and theme the party as a fancy dress engagement party. You can also get the best dress from Quackity Merch Store

Out On The Town

  • Book a function room. With many styles of venues available you can have all the options you could have with a home party.This option can be a less stressful option, giving you more time to mingle with guest and not worry about food etc. It is just a matter of weighing up the costs to see if this option is for you.

Whichever option you pick, remember to have fun!