Planning an engagement party? "Tread lightly," says celebrity event planner Sean Koski, who recently celebrated his engagement to his longtime partner Brian Kelly, co-founder of Ticket2Events, the event planning company they share.
Photo Credit: Becka Robinson for Studio222 Photography
Sean and Brian have been planning side-by-side for 10+ years. To help you navigate your planning process as quickly as the duo does at Ticket2Events, we've asked them to help us create a list of engagement party dos and don'ts. Happy planning!
Do:
- Include sentimental moments for guests to spark conversation and enjoy one another while they share their conversations amongst each other at your party.
- Alleviate potential stress triggers, like wedding-related questions about the date, location, etc. by saying "we're enjoying being engaged for the moment but will send save-the-dates as soon as we know."
- Deliver any announcements about your engagement with details about your party, like an invitation to celebrate.
- Get into the swing of things with pre-designed thank-you cards made in the style of you and the one who said yes!
- Set the tone that this party is all about you and your soon-to-be, and incorporate something special that'll entertain guests and remind them, too. Consider a display of your favorite memories on a projector or with pictures framed throughout, or include a moment of decadence to share the taste of the sweet life you'll be sharing together. If all that's too much to put together, just make sure you take a moment for an honorary toast of your soon-to-be.
Don't:
- Look for input when planning from sources other than your nuclear family/framily or fiancé.
- Forget why you're bringing everyone together — celebrating you're making pledge to take the next step in your relationship is all anyone cares about, so if you haven't had the chance, try to enjoy this one frill and fancy free.
- Overshare on social. If it's possible, try to just be present and celebrate with your chosen company on this special night. Accidentally alerting anyone who you may be considering to invite to the your wedding may cause confusion, since both affairs can thought of as equally intimate.
- Lose yourself in planning — there's an entire timeline and checklist you can follow for your wedding, so this party should stay lighthearted and simple if possible.
- Stress over the guest list or expect everyone to attend. Your engagement party should be thought of as a simple whisper to the shout your wedding is expected to be.
