What is a surprise engagement party? It is an engagement party that happens immediately after the marriage proposal. Your partner does not know it is happening. Sometimes, the attendees are not even sure that they are there for an engagement party. If you are planning a surprise engagement party, here are 8 essential things that you should do.
Find A Venue
If you are renting a venue for your proposal, one of the pro’s in having the surprise engagement party right after the proposal is using the same venue. This can save you a considerable amount of money and also rescue you from having to research another venue. If you don’t have a proposal venue, then you will want to figure out where to have the surprise engagement party. The venue need not be incredibly fancy or expensive either. It can be held anywhere from someone’s backyard to a local museum or even a favorite restaurant.
Formality
You are going to want to invite your guests to make sure they keep the date on their calendar. Once you have the venue, make sure that guests are aware of the dress code ahead of time. Nothing is worse than guests feeling out of place by being over or under-dressed. The invitations are a good place to put this information. While on the topic of invitations, this is also a good place to let everyone know that this is a big secret. You should also remind them how critical it is that they be on-time. You could be charged more if your guests are late and you have to extend your vendors services. Alternatively, they could ruin the surprise if they arrive to early. Punctuality is key here.
Budget
This is a crucial step because costs can easily add-up when you take into account the venue, the food, invitations, décor, and photography. Once you have a budget that you’re comfortable with, stick to it. Do not let your friends or her family influence you to spend more. We see this time and time again where the proposee’s best friend says she REALLY wanted a string quartet at her proposal. And maybe she did. But you have to stick to your budget because if you start taking everyone else’s advice, it is going to break your bank.
Guest List
Remember that anyone you invite to the engagement party should also be invited to the wedding. If you have a tight budget, it might be a good idea to keep your guest list low to save money. Just make sure that you invite important family members, people who will be in the wedding party. If possible, your closest friends. Some people have a “family only” party and announce that so that people don’t feel snubbed.
Menu Planning
Food is an integral part of any party. Figure out what kind and how much food you would like to serve your guests. If you want to save on cost you might consider a buffet or passed hors d’oeuvres instead of a formal sit down meal. Just remember to include at least one vegetarian option for your guests. Whether you serve alcohol or not is up to you – just be sure that you budget for it. Additionally, you are going to want to bring up the idea of alcohol to any venue before booking. Many places don’t have liquor licenses and they may prohibit alcohol or ask you to bet your liquor through a licensed company. You never want to assume that you can just bring in your own alcohol. Always ask first to avoid any trouble later.
Decor
It doesn’t have to be expansive or fit in with the theme of the wedding, but a few simple touches can make a difference. A few vases of freshly cut flowers and tablecloths can freshen up any space and make it feel luxurious. Consider adding a large photo of you and your partner to personalize the space. Don’t be afraid to be creative – make it look the way you want it to. This is also where hiring a Proposal Planner can really make you shine. We know just how to make your engagement sparkle with unique and curated details.
Engagement Party Gifts
It isn’t necessarily a tradition for people to bring a gift to an engagement party, but some people might bring presents anyway. Its never a bad idea to have a designated spot for gifts that people may bring. Just be sure that it isn’t front and center so that people who may not have brought anything won’t feel uncomfortable. You can also state on the invitation that you do not want any gifts which will help take the uncertainty out of the guest’s minds.
Record the Moment
If you want to document everything from the proposal to the wedding, you may want to hire a photographer or videographer to capture the engagement party as well. It isn’t a necessity, and there are other ways of doing it, but if you truly crave the professional photos then you need to plan for it in your budget. The good news is that an engagement party is a good testing ground for the wedding – if your photographer does a fantastic job with the party, then they are probably a good candidate to photograph the wedding as well. You can probably also get a good deal on the additional hours if the photographer is already capturing your marriage proposal from earlier on.
Planning an engagement party can be fun and yet it can also be stressful. For the best engagement party planning assistance, consider hiring one of the wedding proposal planners at The Heart Bandits. Contact us today to discuss your planning needs and get started planning your surprise marriage proposal and engagement party.
For peace of mind, consider proposing with a slim engagement ring case– the uniquely stylish, sleek and affordable engagement ring box. Avoid the disaster of your partner figuring out what you’re up to by spying that large, clunky traditional ring box ahead of time.
Christina Clawson