Once you’ve made the commitment to getting married, the first question you hear is: “When’s the wedding?” The next question: “How about the engagement party?” An engagement party is a celebration for sharing the joy of pending marriage with family and friends.

Here are some engagement party ideas.

1. Who’s Hosting The Event?
   It used to be the bride’s parents. Today, anyone close to the couple may host the celebration. Proper etiquette still involves consulting the bride’s parents as the first step.
2. Set The Date
   You should do this soon after the engagement so the emotional involvement is still maintained. It’s common to throw the party for the purpose of announcing the engagement. While it probably won’t be a surprise, it does add a little more romance and formality.
3. Compile A Guest List
   Those invited to the engagement party will most likely attend the wedding, so it’s important that the hosts of the party get with the prospective bride and groom. If it’s unclear yet how big the wedding will be, just invite close friends and family.
4. Pick Your Venue
   This depends on the size of the party, and any themes you want to use. Engagement party ideas might involve a wine-tasting affair, catered brunch, champagne bar or a fun piñata party. Pick a place that’s easy to find and has plenty of parking.
5. Consider A Gift Registry
   Decide whether you want a gift registry. You may want a more casual or spontaneous affair. You can always add a note to invitations requesting that no gifts be given. If you do use a gift registry, choose items in the low-to-mid price range, since they’ll have to buy more gifts for the wedding. Alternatively, consider a “fusion” gift registry.
6. Get The Food Right
   The food should suit the occasion. Planning a sumptuous five-course dinner at a piñata party is less appropriate than a Mexican-food buffet or casual grilled menu. For wine tasting or champagne bars you could stick to platters of appetizers. Consider a menu of special dishes that will reflect the happy couple’s style.
7. What Should We Wear?
   The attire should reflect the type of party, location and weather. Don’t ask for formal suits at a spaghetti dinner on a hot evening, neither are shorts and sandals right for a champagne bar. Keep the choice of attire appropriate but simple and indicate this on the invitations/social media posts.
8. Send Invitations
   People today tend to look to digital formats: e-cards, emails or social media postings. But that generally won’t work. People can overlook those forms of invitations. Send or hand out formal invitations. Don’t worry about wedding themes – this is an entirely separate occasion.

Golden Ocala Offers The Best Settings

At Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club, we have the facilities and the experience to help our residents and their families manage their celebrations. We offer complete wedding packages to make the journey into married life smoother, easier and sweeter. Contact Julianne Cuomo, Director of Celebrations, to plan your special experience today!