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Engagement Party
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
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Spokesperson
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Name Tags
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Indicate relationship with the couple
on each tag
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Door Greeter or Receiving
Line
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Registry Book
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Tour guests around or lead
to buffet/table
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Speech or Toasts
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Presentation of certificate
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Banquet/Buffet and/or
Refreshments
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Take
Photographs |
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Coat
Checker |
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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)
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Things to Do
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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
 History of Ephemera & Certificates
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 this 1877 Certificate
Reproduced from an old,
original 130 year old lithograph certificate print where highlights still
distinguish the gold overlay.
The certificate indicates:
"Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1877 by Anderson & Cameron
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington."
- "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
April 14, 2009
Engagement
Party Agenda
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Activities
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Time Allotment & Person Responsible
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Notes
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Door Greeter & Registry
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Accept Cards (Gifts should be
opened at a later time and really should not be expected)
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Fellowship Time and/or
Buffet
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Present
selves to designated area for the ceremony
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Greetings & Special
Thanks to Family & Friends
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Father of the Bride
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Announce Engagement
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Father of the Bride
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Acknowledgement and
Recognition of other "special people" in support of this
union
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Family members of Bride & Groom
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Special Toast, Speech, or
Presentation
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Father & Mother of the Bride and others
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Presentation of Couple and
Certificate of Commitment
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Presentation
of Engagement Ring or say a few words about it |
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Groom |
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Acknowledgement of Support
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Groom & Bride
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Exchange
of gold coins & handkerchief
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Old Hungary custom
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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?
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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.
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