Weddings come with a lot of planning and work, but in the end, they’re all about celebrating and we LOVE that!

And all that celebrating starts with an engagement party.

If you’ll remember, having an engagement party is on our DO list when it comes to engagement season.

Your engagement party certainly doesn’t need to be a huge affair or take up a huge chunk of your wedding budget, but you should absolutely feel entitled to celebrating the beginning of your marriage journey with your closest friends and family.

And there are plenty of ways you can do that. Read on for some of our favorite engagement party ideas.

Engagement Party Ideas Your Guests Haven’t Seen Yet

If you want your wedding to be memorable, do something you and your guests haven’t experienced at every other wedding.

The same applies to your engagement party.

We’re not against gathering your closest friends and family at your favorite venue or even your house for a classic party, but these are some of our favorite outside-the-box ideas.

Rent Out a Skating Rink or Bowling Alley

Throw it back to the best parties you went to in middle school with some trips around the rink or a few rounds of bowling!

It’s casual dress for everyone, a fun activity, and the theme and decorations are already handled for you. Not to mention the fun atmosphere and music.

Costume Party!

If you and your fiancé are big fans of a particular genre or fandom—or if you’re getting close to Halloween—bring that theme into your engagement party.

You and your guests will have fun playing dress up and you can match your decorations and entertainment to the theme. Just imagine the great playlist you can make for a 90s costume party!

Cooking Class

This works best if you’re planning a smaller engagement party, but a cooking class is a great way to include some interaction into your soiree.

You can look for a venue that hosts classes and find a time or hire a chef or baker to come to you.

Escape Room

If you and your partner love solving puzzles, this one is a no-brainer. Get your best detectives together and head to the nearest escape room.

If you or a member of your wedding party is feeling really creative, maybe you can create your own escape room of sorts that applies to you and your fiancé! And if an actual escape room isn’t your thing, a scavenger hunt is the next best thing.

Trivia Night!

Quiz your friends and family about all things YOU! Or pick whatever topics feel right to you, put people into teams and let the fun begin!

Offer prizes for winners, like letting them pick a song or two at your wedding or inviting them to join you for your cake tasting!

Outdoor Movie Night

If the weather is right, rent a projector and blow-up screen for a movie night in your backyard. You can screen your favorite film as a couple, a classic rom-com, or maybe a video about the two of you.

Just don’t forget the popcorn and candy!

These are just a few fun engagement party ideas to shake things up a bit. More parties we love include beer or wine tasting, a classic cocktail party, a potluck picnic in the park complete with lawn games, karaoke, and so much more.

The point is, make your engagement party your own!

Engagement Party Games

Trivia and a scavenger hunt aren’t the only engagement party games we love to play.

Throwing a themed-party can be a little daunting, so if you want to keep it classic but still make sure your guests are having fun, add some games to the mix.

Wedding charades and Pictionary are easy to set up and you don’t need a lot of materials to make it happen. Just some strips of paper with wedding-related clues on them.

Similarly, have your guests write some of their favorite memories of you and your partner and then share with everyone. Everyone can guess who the memory belongs to.

Play the newlywed game with your partner when the two of you answer questions about each other and try to write down what you think your partner’s answer will be.

These games are meant to take only a short amount of time, so the rest of the party can be mingling and eating!

 

Engagement Party Tips

As you’re planning your engagement party, just like with the wedding, there are a few things to keep in mind.

When should I have my engagement party?

Typically within a few months of your engagement. The farther away your wedding date is, the more wiggle room you have.

If you’re planning a shorter engagement, think about combining some events like the bridal shower and engagement party.

Who should I invite to my engagement party?

Some people will only invite potential wedding guests to their engagement party. But maybe you’re planning a more intimate or a destination wedding with a small group. Then your engagement party is time to celebrate with a larger group in an informal setting.

Ultimately, just like with the wedding, it’s your party (and your dollar) and you can invite whomever you want.

What should I wear to an engagement party?

It depends on your venue and theme, but typically engagement parties are more casual and rarely black tie.

Don’t outdo your wedding look, but make sure your attire and the attire you tell guests is appropriate for the venue and the planned activities.

Engagement Party Gifts

Gifts aren’t as typical with engagement parties as they are with a bridal shower or the wedding itself, so don’t expect much. Some couples will even specify no gifts for the engagement party.

But even when you say “no gifts,” some people will come with one anyway. If you have your wedding registry built out, go ahead and share it with your engagement party guests. Or set up a honeymoon or house fund for friends to donate to.

When it comes to gifts, just be clear on the do’s and don’ts on your invitations.

Engagement Party Decorations

Don’t feel pressured to go over the top with your engagement party decorations or feel like you have to match the theme and color palette to your wedding.

If you already know your wedding colors though, it’s not a bad idea to think of ways you could reuse engagement party decorations for the wedding!

Wedding décor is more involved however, so your engagement party is the time to try your hand at DIY. It’s also a great time to test out a florist and photographer you’re interested in using for the big day.

Cap Off Your Engagement With Your Dream Wedding at Kendall Point

After the perfect engagement party, you’ll naturally want your wedding day to be just as magical.

That means you need a venue like Kendall Point.

Our San Antonio wedding venue nestled in the Texas Hill Country is an idyllic spot for a romantic, elegant wedding of any size. Our custom-built facility is a blank canvas ready for you to decorate as you see fit and the gorgeous greenery makes the perfect backdrop for every photo.

Have your wedding indoors, outdoors, or both, and don’t worry about a thing—we’re ready to handle whatever weather is thrown at us.

Contact us today to take a tour!