Engagement Party Planner Ideas Agenda, Guidelines Worksheets

Betrothed?

Flouncing was a special party held for an engaged couple to meet with friends of both families. This "flouncing" established a formal contract.

Scottish Wedding Announcements in the medieval Church announced intended marriages through a process called the banns of marriage.

In Germany, to mark their betrothal, a couple give each other gold bands, worn on their left hands.

see more customs

The proposal of marriage has been received and you are both officially engaged! What next?

If the old custom of "asking the father for the daughter's hand in marriage" was not practiced, then the first thing to do is to tell your parents the happy news!

If you want to "spring the news" on them, wait until the engagement party to tell your close friends, relatives, co-workers and others. Or, let them know that an engagement party is pending and that they will be invited. The engagement party will be the first of many celebrations for this happy time in your life!

Customarily, it is the bride's parents who sponsor an engagement party, yet the couple and groom's parents may want to be a bigger part of it. The party is usually in the home, yet other settings such as a hotel or restaurant are a possibility. The engagement party can be held several months to up to a year before the actual wedding takes place.

Determine what style of party you might want:
Cake and Punch
Formal champagne and d'oeuvres
Information buffet with d'oeuvres
Set down dinner
Bar-B-Q
Picnic
Restaurant or Hotel Setting
Decorations & Favors

Engagement Photo
Have an engagement photo taken at your earliest convenience. Have both black and white photos made as well as color prints made. Contact the newspapers where you and your fiance' are from and grew up. Obtain the engagement announcement forms required to place the announcement in the papers. There may be guidelines on time and type of information required. .

Assignment of Roles, Duties & Responsibilities for Party
Spokesperson
Name Tags (Indicate relationship with the couple on each tag)

Door Greeter or Receiving Line
Registry Book
Tour guests around or lead to buffet/table
Speech or Toasts
Presentation of certificate
Banquet/Buffet and/or Refreshments
Take Photographs
Coat Checker

Display Items
Baby photos and old photos of the engaged couple
Baby Memory Books
Photos of the parents when younger
Courtship keepsakes in a shadow box or set out
Engagement Photographs
Family Tree(s)

Things to Do
Commitment Certificate Signing or
Presentation--your commitment, by tradition!
Engagement Certificate

Mini Roast of the engaged couple
Presentation of guest favors
Exchange of token gifts (coins & handkerchief) see customs
Planting tree or bush
Have activities planned if you are having children at the party
Announcement of attendants
Have guests sign a post board and offer their advice

"How we Met" story
Date met
who you were introduced by
Pending wedding date and time
Names of parents and grandparents
The basics: your names, date of party, hosted by, location and special words
Special verse or declaration'
Engagement & Wedding customs/traditions see customs

Think ahead.....about the heirlooms you want to start

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe”.....with an Heirloom Wedding Certificate to pass on down someday.

Order a Certificate
Display at Your Reception!

Engagement Party Agenda

Activities	Time Allotment & Person Responsible	Notes
Door Greeter & Registry
Accept Cards (Gifts should be opened at a later time and really should not be expected)
Fellowship Time and/or Buffet

Present selves to designated area for the ceremony
Greetings & Special Thanks to Family & Friends		Father of the Bride
Announce Engagement		Father of the Bride
Acknowledgement and Recognition of other "special people" in support of this union		Family members of Bride & Groom
Special Toast, Speech, or Presentation		Father & Mother of the Bride and others
Presentation of Couple and Certificate of Commitment

Presentation of Engagement Ring or say a few words about it

Groom

Acknowledgement of Support		Groom & Bride
Exchange of gold coins & handkerchief		Old Hungary custom

Photo Session
Reception

The Engagement

First Steps in Making Plans for a Wedding

Determine what you and your families expect your wedding to be like
Select a tentative wedding date or time of year, if not the actual date targeted
The wedding date will be dependent upon the ceremony and reception locations
The wedding date determined needs to consider several factors such as weather, holidays, school schedules, employment needs, other events surrounding the date, best fares and bookings time, and other such variables. Don't leave out the possibility of having a wedding during a weekday, New Year's Eve, Thanksgivings, and special birthdays.
What religion or denomination, if any, will the service be performed in?

Style of Wedding? formal, semi-formal or informal?
Private ceremony and open reception?
How many guests do you estimate having?
Decide on the style of the wedding invitation
Determine appropriate wedding invitation wording
Dancing?
A seated meal?
Buffet?
Cake and Punch?
Live music?
An outdoor setting?
Alcohol? Open bar or cash bar? Wine or Champagne only
Number of attendants and who
Catered or prepared at home?
How will the wedding be financed?
Budget amount?

Set up an appointment with your officiant as soon as possible. You might also want to secure the ceremony and reception site as well as the photographer/videographer for your chosen date.

Wedding Planning Schedule
Event Planner Worksheet Haven

6 to 9 months in advance
Select and order the bridal gown and accessories
Make arrangements for music at your ceremony/reception
Select and order bridesmaids' dresses, or arrange for a seamstress to make them
Start working on guest lists from the bride's family's, the groom's family's list, the bride's list, and groom's list. Be sure to include club affiliation members, co-workers, special church members and business associates
Determine if a calligrapher is desired

4 to 6 months in advance
Order invitations and any other stationery you will need such as thank you notes, program covers, place cards and note paper
Begin plans for the honeymoon. (the groom's duty)
Help the mothers to select their dresses
Plan the rehearsal dinner. (groom's family)
Register for gifts at bridal registrys

2 to 4 months in advance
Obtain measurements and select attire for the men in the wedding party
Have wedding portrait taken
Find out what the legal requirements are for marriage in your state; arrange for any necessary blood tests and decide when you will apply for the license
Make out-of-town guest arrangements and hotel bookings

6 to 8 weeks in advance
Mail out the invitations
Obtain wedding announcement forms for the newspapers
Purchase gifts for each other, your attendants and special others
Prepare or have wedding program printed; consider having a program for the ceremony and one for the reception
Purchase gifts for attendants
Purchase going-away outfit, trousseau
Consult hairstylist about wedding hairstyle
Consult makeup person about wedding-day makeup

4 to 6 weeks in advance
Prepare necessary documentation or obtain information for name change, Wills, life insurance, beneficiary changes, consolidating car/vehicle insurance, opening bank accounts for checking and savings, and address changes
Determine seating chart plan for reception and place cards needed
Obtain foreign money for the honeymoon, if needed
Send out information packets to the attendants for a good line of communication and expectations desired

1-2 weeks in advance
Follow-up on everything and everyone..............attendants, catering, honeymoon, photographer, videographer, florist, musicians, officiant, rehearsal, etc.
Make sure announcements are addressed, arrange for someone to mail them on wedding day
Begin packing for honeymoon
Purchase Traveler's checks
Attend bridal showers and parties
Host the Bridesmaid Tea or Luncheon

1-3 days in advance
Begin resting
Make arrangements for out-of-town guests to be picked up from the airport if needed
Prepare an emergency kit filled with sewing kit, aspirin, safety pins, etc.
Attend Rehearsal and dinner
Finish packing
Spend some time prime time with your parents

Wedding Planning

Engagement Party Planner

Engagement Party Agenda

The Engagement

First Steps in Making Plans for a Wedding

Wedding Planning Schedule Event Planner Worksheet Haven

Wedding Planning Schedule
Event Planner Worksheet Haven