The journey from engagement to “I do” is often filled with joyful planning, personal touches, and memorable celebrations. As highlighted in the accompanying video, the engagement party serves as a wonderful prelude to the wedding, offering couples a chance to gather loved ones and revel in their exciting new chapter. This article dives deeper into the art of engagement party planning, drawing inspiration from Brianna and Cory’s experience to help you orchestrate your own unforgettable celebration.
Planning an engagement party, whether grand or intimate, involves a series of thoughtful decisions that reflect your unique style as a couple. Brianna and Cory, engaged in October 2022 and set to marry in September 2024, deliberately chose an intimate gathering. Their celebration, held on June 16th, was a testament to balancing elegance with personal comfort, proving that sometimes, the most cherished moments happen on a smaller scale.
Charting Your Course: Deciding on the Engagement Party
For many couples, the decision to host an engagement party comes with careful consideration. Brianna and Cory initially debated if they even wanted one, eventually opting for a celebration following a trip to Florida. This personal choice underscores a crucial aspect of engagement party planning: there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
An intimate engagement party offers distinct advantages. It allows for more meaningful interactions between guests, fostering connections between families and friends who may be meeting for the first time. This co-mingling, as Brianna emphasized, was a primary goal for their party, ensuring everyone felt acquainted before their wedding day. Furthermore, a smaller guest list can often translate to greater flexibility in venue choice and budget allocation, allowing for higher-quality experiences like bespoke menus or personalized decor.
Selecting the Perfect Venue for Your Engagement Celebration
The venue sets the tone for your entire engagement party. Brianna and Cory’s choice of Barcelona Wine Bar in West Hartford, Connecticut, was deeply personal, reflecting their favorite restaurant. This decision highlights the importance of selecting a location that holds sentimental value or aligns with the couple’s shared tastes.
When scouting potential venues for your engagement celebration, consider several key factors. Think about the ambiance you desire – formal, casual, chic, or rustic. Evaluate the space’s capacity; Brianna and Cory initially planned for 40-45 guests but ultimately hosted 35, which allowed for a more flexible layout. Inquire about private rooms, as these can provide an exclusive and intimate atmosphere. Additionally, discuss catering options, in-house bar services, and any restrictions on external vendors for cakes or decor. A venue that offers excellent management, like Brett at Barcelona Wine Bar, can significantly ease the planning process.
Guest List & Seating: Mastering the Intimate Gathering
One of the most delicate aspects of engagement party planning is curating the guest list. Brianna and Cory intentionally kept their list concise, focusing on immediate family and a handful of close friends. This commitment to intimacy allowed them to shift from a 50/50 cocktail-to-sit-down ratio to a more comfortable 45-minute cocktail hour followed by a full sit-down dinner, perfectly accommodating their 35 guests.
The seating chart, often cited as a source of frustration, becomes a necessity for events combining cocktail and sit-down elements. Brianna described it as “the most annoying, time-consuming part,” illustrating a common planning hurdle. To manage this effectively, consider adopting a systematic approach. Brianna and her mother utilized a color-coded diagram for their four tables (three tables of nine, one of eleven), noting each guest’s name. This method ensures that families and friends are strategically seated to encourage conversation and enjoyment, avoiding awkward social dynamics.
Crafting Unforgettable Invitations: A Keepsake for the Ages
Engagement party invitations serve as the first tangible impression of your celebration. For Brianna and Cory, these invitations were more than just an RSVP request; they were a treasured keepsake. Their elegant, neutral, chic, and modern design perfectly captured their aesthetic, featuring a beautiful photo of the couple.
While physical invitations are lovely, coordinating their arrival with RSVP deadlines requires meticulous attention. Brianna’s invitations, which had an RSVP date of May 12th, arrived just days before, illustrating a common logistical challenge. To mitigate this, consider these crucial tips: always order invitations well in advance, factor in potential shipping delays, and supplement traditional mail with digital communication. Texting family and friends in advance with key dates and details can ensure everyone is informed, regardless of postal service speed. This dual approach helps manage expectations and ensures a smoother response process for your engagement celebration.
Designing a Delectable Menu: From Tapas to Cake
The food and drink offerings are central to any successful party, and engagement party planning provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase your culinary preferences. Brianna and Cory’s menu at Barcelona Wine Bar was a delightful spread of Spanish-inspired dishes, perfectly suited for both mingling and a seated meal.
Their cocktail hour featured Spanish charcuterie boards with meats, cheeses, eggplant spread, hummus, and fresh vegetables. Following this, guests enjoyed four different passed hors d’oeuvres: ham and cheese croquettes, marinated shrimp skewers, marinated chicken skewers, and roasted vegetable skewers. For the main course, the couple chose paella, a rich and flavorful communal dish. Dessert included a yellow cake with white frosting and raspberry filling from Antonio’s Bakery in Rhode Island, complemented by Barcelona’s churros.
Additionally, they offered a personalized bar experience with “his and hers” signature drinks—Cory’s bourbon spice rack and Brianna’s white sangria—alongside bottles of red and white wine. This thoughtfully curated menu ensured a diverse and satisfying experience for all attendees.
Personal Touches and DIY Details: Infusing Your Style
Injecting personal style into your engagement party planning creates a unique and memorable event. Brianna utilized a blend of purchased items and creative DIY elements to reflect her “simple, elegant, classic” aesthetic.
Key personal touches included:
- Customized Bar Sign: Brianna designed a sleek black-and-white bar sign on Canva, featuring their signature drinks. Placed in an 8.5×11-inch frame from American Flat, it added a sophisticated touch to their dedicated bar area.
- Acrylic Card Box: An elegant, clear acrylic card box, purchased for approximately $30-$38 on Amazon, provided a designated spot for guests’ well wishes. This versatile item can be reused for future events like bridal showers or even the wedding itself.
- Neon Sign: While a custom “The Woodbines” neon sign (estimated $400-$500) was reserved for their home, a smaller “she said yes” sign was ordered for the party, adding a modern, festive glow.
- Decorative Elements: Simple touches like white peonies, white roses, or white hydrangeas from Trader Joe’s, along with battery-operated Luminara candles, were planned to enhance the ambiance without overwhelming the space.
These details illustrate how a few carefully chosen items can significantly elevate the overall aesthetic and personalize your celebration.
The Final Countdown: Navigating Last-Minute Preparations
Even with meticulous engagement party planning, the days leading up to the event often involve a flurry of last-minute tasks. Brianna’s checklist for June 15th, the day before the party, provides a realistic glimpse into these crucial preparations:
- Seating Chart Finalization: Completing the layout for guests, especially for a hybrid sit-down/cocktail event.
- Flower Acquisition: Sourcing fresh flowers (white peonies, roses, hydrangeas) from local stores like Trader Joe’s.
- Place Cards: Securing backup place cards from Party City, especially if custom orders face shipping delays.
- Outfit Details: Ensuring all wardrobe elements are ready, such as Cory’s new white button-down dress shirt.
- Batteries for Decor: Gathering batteries for any electronic decorations, like Luminara candles.
- Photo Selection: Choosing a favorite engagement photo for a display frame.
Brianna’s strategy of creating a physical list and highlighting completed tasks before eventually crossing them off is a practical tip for staying organized and reducing stress during the final stretch. Delegating tasks, such as asking her mom to handle venue setup, also proved invaluable.
Outfits and Glam: Stepping into the Role of Future Spouses
The engagement party is a moment to shine, and selecting the perfect outfits adds to the excitement. Brianna’s dress from Windsor, paired with Lulus shoes featuring delicate bows and Amazon earrings, perfectly complemented her slick-back ponytail created by her friend Olivia with clip-in extensions. Cory donned a black Bar 3 suit from Macy’s, an Alfani white shirt, and Alexander McQueen shoes. Their cohesive and elegant styling created a powerful visual impact, evoking a “Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Bonnie and Clyde” vibe.
For both Brianna and Cory, this event was deeply significant, marking the first time they truly “felt like a bride” and “felt like a groom.” This emotional milestone underscores the importance of the engagement party as a transitional moment, allowing couples to fully embrace their new roles and celebrate their journey toward marriage.
Ultimately, Brianna and Cory’s intimate and classy engagement party planning culminated in an unforgettable celebration. Their focus on bringing families together, personalized touches, and a relaxed pace allowed them to truly enjoy the occasion, setting a beautiful precedent for their September 2024 wedding.
