‘Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you… Just say I do…’. Bruno Mars perfect proposal song ‘Marry You’ should be on every couple’s playlist! The excitement of saying ‘I do’ is just the beginning of an adventure in love that is the start of a new life as a couple.
The first thing you want to do is to tell everyone you know – family, friends, co-workers, even people you meet at the bus stop. ‘We’re getting married and it’s exciting!’
Take the opportunity to celebrate with an engagement party so everyone can share your joy.
Casual or formal, the engagement party should be fun and reflect your style. Show off your new relationship (and ring) with an event that represents both of you. Decide on an event that you will both enjoy, whether it’s footy or a day at the beach, a red-carpet event or a party at the pub.
A few tips to keep in mind when planning to celebrate your engagement:
- Set a date
The engagement party should be at least 6 months or more before the wedding. Don’t make it too close to W-Day or it can become stressful when trying to plan both the engagement and the wedding.
- Set a budget
Decide whether it is to be casual – beach barbecue or informal get together – or a more formal dinner event or party. The style of celebration will determine the budget, or vice versa!
- Make a guest list
Don’t confuse the guest list for your wedding with that for your engagement party. It can be a small, intimate affair with just family and a few friends if you prefer. You can even have two parties, one for family and close friends and the other with work colleagues and your wider circle of friends.
- Book a venue and organise catering
You can be creative with a venue for your engagement party. Consider a harbour cruise, a visit to a theme park, a barbecue on the beach. A package deal including catering can be a convenient option.
- Set up a gift card registry
Make it easy for your guests to give you a gift that you will appreciate – a Gift Card Registry is the perfect solution. Include the website address on the invitation or let them know by email that you would prefer them to contribute to the registry rather than bring a present. A prepaid Mastercard from Gift Card Registry is the perfect engagement gift as it can assist you with wedding preparations too!
- Save for your wedding
An engagement part is not compulsory! It’s a great way to celebrate with family and friends, but if you don’t have time to organise it before the wedding, you can skip it. Engagement is a promise without paperwork. Unlike a wedding, when you need to complete formalities and paperwork both beforehand and on the day. You can let friends know you are engaged and that you are saving for your wedding. Set up a Gift Card Registry and if they would like to give you a gift, you can give them the web address.
- Enjoy the moment
The engagement period can be like a free sample – a chance to try out the relationship before planning the wedding. So, enjoy every moment!
