Should You Have an Engagement Party?

It can either be more fun or more stress!

Getting engaged doesn’t only mean that it’s time to start planning your wedding, it’s also an opportunity to celebrate before the big day arrives!

By Emily Lasnier

heavenly-engagement
Photo: Lin & Jirsa

Getting engaged doesn’t only mean that it’s time to start planning your wedding, it’s also an opportunity to celebrate before the big day arrives! Sometimes an engagement party is an immediate fête after a surprise proposal, but it is also an occasion that can be organized once the couple has figured out the major aspects of their nuptials – such as the date and guest list. However, it’s hardly a requirement to get married, and some duos may feel it’s more trouble than it’s worth. To help you and your sweetheart decide whether or not to have an engagement party, read the pros and cons below. 

pros and cons to hosting an engagement party

Photo by Haley Richter Photography

Pros:

- A chance for introductions. If your respective families and members of the bridal party have yet to meet, this is an opportunity for everyone to mingle so they are already friendly when the big day arrives.

- Embraces the engagement stage. Couples often mention that they did not feel they were able to soak in being engaged, and a party that is farther away from the wedding than a bridal shower might help you enjoy this temporary stage of your relationship.

- A way to blow off steam. If the soirée is hosted after you’ve already begun planning your nuptials, you’ll likely welcome the ability to forget about the logistics that have been haunting your stress dreams and just relax at an event with your nearest and dearest.

Cons: 

- Scheduling difficulties. If your loved ones are geographically spread out, having multiple occasions they need to travel to may prove to be too much of a burden.

- Eats into your budget. Now is the time to be saving for your wedding, and paying for another party may limit what you are able to do on the big day. 

- Added stress. In addition to money, organizing another fête also takes time, and depending on the length of the engagement and how much help you have with your nuptials, planning another event may simply be too much. 

For more wedding planning ideas and advice, discover how necessary pre-wedding events are and find out when a bridal shower should be hosted.

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