Engagement Parties
One formal way to announce your engagement is with an engagement party. Traditionally, the bride's family has the option of hosting the first engagement party; after this celebration (or if the bride's family passes on the party altogether), the groom's family can host an event honoring the engaged couple. Engagement parties are usually held relatively soon after the engagement has taken place, and well before any other pre-wedding parties, such as showers, bachelorettes, and the like.
Who's Invited?
The same rule of thumb that goes for all pre-wedding parties also applies here: Only people who will be invited to the wedding should be invited to the engagement party. That means you'd better think long and hard about who you want on that final guest list, because there's no graceful way to back out of it once the parties get rolling. The one exception to extending the guest list to include people who won't be invited to the wedding is if you're having a very intimate destination wedding — just yourself, the groom, and immediate family. In that instance,
What Kind of Party?
Engagement parties can be formal or informal, large or small. There's no need to send out engraved invitations or hire the best caterer in town, although there's no reason not to do these things, either. It all depends on who's hosting and what you and the groom are most comfortable with.
E~ssential
Since engagement parties are not common in some areas of the country, ask your host to help the guests prepare by including relevant information on the invitations, such as what type of dress is expected (casual, formal, black tie), and a “no gifts” tag line at the bottom of the card. According to traditional wedding etiquette, gifts should not be given at an engagement party.
Sometime during the evening, the parents of the bride and groom may wish to offer a toast to your future happiness. Play the part of the graceful bride, nod, smile, and remember — you and your fiancé
