Engagement Party with Winc and The Bouqs Co.
This post is a major throwback to mine and Raphe’s engagement party in October 2018. Not sure why I didn’t blog about it way back then but better late than never! Engagement parties obviously aren’t a must-do (Raphe and I went back and forth whether to have one or not) but they can be a nice addition to your wedding process. I was so happy we ended up having one as it was a great way to celebrate with our closest friends and family before starting the entire wedding planning process.
Since we were on a budget, a few friend’s were kind enough to help us out on the location, decor and more. An old friend hosted the party at her home in Pasadena on the outside deck which helped us save on location cost. I was able to collaborate with Winc on a selection of wines for our guests and with The Bouqs Co. on floral decorations. A few of my friend’s knew how badly I wanted a balloon arch and since using an outside company can be costly, they spent hours before the party figuring out how to DIY it. It came out so beautiful!
Keep reading below as I share a few tips on how to throw a stress-free engagement party from start to finish:
Compile a guest list and send out invitations
This is the first thing we did! We knew we wanted an intimate event so we narrowed it down to who we wanted there. We got a final headcount of 44 people pretty quickly and sent out invitations through Minted which has plenty of budget options to choose from.
Choose your location
We knew from my friend that her outside deck fit around 50 people so our invitation list was the perfect amount to accommodate. Obviously, if you’re not as lucky as we were to have a friend host at their home, there are plenty of other options to fit your budget. I would start with Airbnb or any other online event rental websites that have spaces in your area and allow for events.
Food Catering
Along with making a beautiful cheese plate and bought desserts, we catered a taco truck on site for two hours. It was honestly the best choice budget wise plus who doesn’t love tacos?! I actually looked at other possible catering options in the Los Angeles area and they didn’t fit within our budget. Alcohol is a definite must at any party and since cocktails can get quite expensive since a bartender would be needed, wine was the way to go. We offered red, white and bubbly selections courtesy of Winc and everyone was able to pour it themselves.
Choose your attire
Not every bride-to-be has to wear white at her engagement party but many choose to including me! Whatever color/style you want to wear, just make sure everything fits and functions properly at least a week before the party. The dress I wore here, the zipper actually broke as I was putting it on and I had to be sewn in and torn out at the end of the night.
Decor
Depending on your venue, you may or may not need decor. Since my friend’s home had an already beautifully decorated deck, not much decor was needed. I wanted to stick with a romantic, boho theme so I chose green, white, gold and pink as my color theme. I collaborated with The Bouqs Co on a few floral bouquets, added a few romantic candles, lace tablecloths for the tables and of course, the amazing balloon arch.
Party Games
Raphe and I wanted help picking our wedding hashtag so we passed around pieces of paper for everyone to vote from a list of five hashtags. #WolfgangFoundHisShaleMate was the winner! We also played a quick game of Mad Libs on how Raphe and I met. Everyone had to pick adjectives, nouns or verbs and one answer would fill in the blank. It was so fun to hear what people came up with! I can’t recommend these two games enough to play with guests at an engagement party.
Gift Registry
This is something we didn’t plan for as we were not expecting gifts! Everyone showed up with a gift and were so shocked and realized we should’ve mentioned that on the invitation. Honestly we just wanted all of our loved ones there to celebrate. If you’re planning your engagement party, send out gift registry information with the party invitation. You’ll definitely want to at least start your registry before sending out invites! I suggest Bed Bath & Beyond or Zola as they have an assortment of items for everyone’s budget.
Party Favors
This is something we didn’t plan for either but should have. Favors aren’t a must but they certainly do add a nice touch and a level of personalization that many people do appreciate. It can be an inexpensive item that both you and your partner both love and want to share with your guests.
Check out more photos from the party below:
After a few speeches, eating and mingling for two hours, the party was over. I can’t thank everyone involved who made the party so special and a big thank you to everyone who came. Hope these tips and images serve as inspiration for your upcoming engagement party. Feel free to message me if you have any questions.
Thanks for stopping by!