The key to throwing the perfect engagement party: Find a theme that fits the couple of honor.
Wine Tasting Engagement Party
Honor
the oenophiles and have each guest bring a bottle of wine to share for
the party. You can even provide the wine for the party and host a swap,
where each person takes home someone else favorite wine. Have plenty of
wine glasses on hand (at least enough to have a red and white for each
guest), along with ample food options for pairing. Fill out the table
with a spread of great cheeses (fresh, aged, soft and hard) and
baguettes. A few extras: an olive bar, hummus and pita bread, and even
grapes, strawberries and sliced apples. Go the extra mile and hire a
sommelier to guide the tasting, or rent out the back room of a local
wine bar or winery for a private tasting session.
Cooking Class Engagement Party
Impress
foodies with a cooking class hosted at a local culinary school or
restaurant. Or hire a chef to teach the class at your home. When it
comes to choosing the menu, pick a starter, entree and dessert. For
ideas on what to make, tap into the couple's favorite dishes and
personalities—if they both love sweets, make it desserts only, or if
they come from a particular cultural background, serve up international
cuisine. Split guests up into smaller groups so that each one can tackle
one of the choices on the menu. Have a buffet-style setup of all the
food, along with recipe cards for guests to take home at the end of the
night.
Rooftop Engagement Party
Stage
the celebration at a rooftop bar or restaurant for a cool, intimate
setting with amazing views of the city skyline. The vibe can be as
formal or as casual as you'd like. Create a swanky, lounge-like
atmosphere with sleek rentals, like white ottomans and Lucite tables and
chairs. Or just keep it casual with shabby-chic furniture and string
lights. As for food, have waiters pass hors d'oeuvres on trays. And
don't forget about the weather. Set out baskets of pashminas and
blankets to keep everyone warm in the cooler seasons. For a warm summer
night, offer grown-up takes on favorite childhood treats. Think:
cocktail popsicles made with prosecco and berries, bourbon-spiked
slushies, or even a lemonade and tea station, complete with a variety of
fruit infusions.
Chocolate and Champagne Engagement Party
What
better way to celebrate the newly engaged than with glasses of
champagne and something sweet? Set up a table full of chocolate-chip
cookies, truffles, flourless chocolate cakes, a chocolate fondue station
and more. Or, if it better suits the couple's tastes, feel free to
switch up the flavor theme or add a variety of other desserts, like
petits fours and mini fruit tarts. Along with bubbly for all the toasts,
you might want to include a few extra dessert-time drink options—a
coffee, espresso or even a tea bar is a fun idea. At the end of the
night, have favor bags and scoops ready so guests can take home any
leftover treats.
Buttoned-Up BBQ Engagement Party
For
a refined take on this all-American classic, nix the paper, plastic and
checkered tablecloths for white linens topped with straw chargers and a
few lush flower arrangements. Finish it off with tons of floating
candles and string globe lights. Serve fruity cocktails in Mason jars
and place glass pitchers of lemonade and iced tea on tables. Dress up
standard BBQ fare (like mini pulled-beef and pulled-pork sliders) with
crowd-pleasing favorites (think: truffle mac and cheese).
Beach Clambake Engagement Party
Host
a clambake or fish fry, or go upscale with a fancy seafood spread of
grilled shrimp, lobster and scallops. When it comes to the sides, stick
to the classics—serve corn on the cob, bruschetta and fresh watermelon.
Keep the drinks simple and fill galvanized buckets with ice and bottles
of local brew and root beer. Set up tables and chairs right on the beach
or on the deck of a beach club or waterfront restaurant, and consider
decorating with blue, yellow and white nautical motifs. When the sun
goes down, lay beach blankets and pillows on the sand and keep guests
warm with a bonfire and s'mores. Favors aren't required, but consider
sending everyone home with saltwater taffy or mini bottles of artisanal
sea salt.
Brunch Engagement Party
Dream
up the couple's favorite brunch menu. Maybe it's French-inspired with
mini bottles of champagne, macarons and quiche. Or go more rustic with
homemade granola and blueberry pancakes. Another option: Host a cocktail
brunch and offer up smaller bites, like scrambled egg tartlets and mini
French toast, so guests can mingle and nosh with ease. As for drinks,
stick with the staples—coffee, juice, mimosas and Bellinis are all fair
game. And while you can certainly celebrate at a family home or cozy
restaurant, consider going all out with a tented, garden-set affair.
Lei’d Back Luau
Tiki-themed
parties don't have to mean neon grass skirts and the limbo. Lean on a
tropical color scheme (think: peach, pink, yellow and orange) and accent
with chic pineapple and palm tree decor. Mix up cocktails reminiscent
of an exotic getaway like margaritas, mai tais, sangria and blood orange
mojitos. Line your serving dishes with large banana leaves, and plate
tangy BBQ-style food like grilled pineapple and shrimp skewers,
rum-glazed pulled pork or fried plantains. And of course, don't forget
the leis!
