Once you’ve shared the exciting news with friends and family and posted a picture of your ring on Facebook, next up are the celebrations! There are so many types of parties you may want to have during your engagement, and we know that planning all of these events on top of a wedding is no easy task! Besides, have you ever wondered, who is actually supposed to be hosting all of these parties? Read on to find out more about what some of the most common wedding-related parties are all about.
Engagement Party
This “kickoff” party was traditionally hosted by the parents of the bride and/or groom to celebrate the new engagement, but nowadays, anyone close to the couple can throw an engagement party. Some couples even choose to throw their own! The most common time is one to three months after the engagement, after at least some of the most important wedding details have been determined. The guest list is typically a more intimate affair – including immediate family members and close personal friends of the couple. Additionally, if you’re a stickler for etiquette rules, you may want to know this: many consider it impolite to invite anyone to your engagement party that will not also be invited to your wedding.
Bridal or Couples Shower
Traditionally, a bridal shower is a female-only celebration to honor the bride. There is usually food, games, and gifts for the bride-to-be. This is usually hosted a few weeks to two months before the wedding date, and could be hosted by anyone from the bride’s mother or mother-in-law to bridesmaids and friends. Recently, couple’s showers have become more popular as well, where both spouses are celebrated. The main etiquette rule to remember about showers is that the couple should not host these themselves, as gifts are often expected from shower guests.
Bachelor Party and Bachelorette Party
The last hoorah! Bachelor and bachelorette parties are celebratory events where the bride and groom get together to celebrate with his or her side of the wedding party and nearest friends. These parties range from a one-night event, to weekend or longer getaways with your closest pals, and usually take place a week to a month before the wedding. Bachelor and bachelorette parties are typically hosted and planned by the bridal party, led by the Maid of Honor or Best Man.
Bridesmaids Luncheon
Usually hosted the day before or a few days before the big event, the bride gets together with her best girls to kickoff the big celebration! While in the past, the bridal party hosted this event, more and more brides today are choosing to host and cover the expenses of this lagniappe celebration, as a “thank you” for their bridal party’s hard work! It’s a great way for brides to show a little appreciation for their support, and for everyone to kickoff the wedding festivities!
The engagement period is such a fun time full of celebrations with the ones you love most, and will undoubtedly be some of the most memorable times of your life! We hope you learned some helpful information on the types of parties you may enjoy, and are ready to hit the ground running!
If you need help with planning details, take a look at our list of preferred vendors, and we hope you’ll consider one of our two beautiful venues in Baton Rouge and Prairieville for any of your wedding festivities!
