5 Helpful Tips to Throw an Engagement Party

Hellooo everyone! I know the last couple of blog posts I started off with “sorry it’s been a while since I wrote” and, well, I just can’t apologize anymore because this is just what it is right now. {insert the shoulder shrugging emoji}. Continue reading for a life update and 5 helpful tips to throw and engagement party!

A little background: my baby sister recently got engaged to her best friend and now fiancé, Josh. Yes, SHE HAD A PANDEMIC PROPOSAL!! Finally, something positive happening in the world, right!? Due to the pandemic, Josh’s initial plan to propose to my sister at the Grand Canyon could not happen due to the Coronavirus Pandemic national shutdown. BUT, being the driven guy that he is, he planned a whole different proposal at The Garden of the Gods in Herod, IL on Friday, May 1, 2020. Josh wore a go-pro to film/photograph the whole engagement and Jill was ON CLOUD NINE. Of course she said yes, and of course that meant…time to throw a party!

A couple months after the engagement and when the Coronavirus lock down lifted enough for people (50 people or less in IL) to gather outside- me, my older sister and parents planned an “I Do BBQ” Engagement Party in my parents backyard. This was the first large party I have ever planned and I learned quite a bit. Here are 5 helpful tips to throw an engagement party that I learned from planning a successful “I Do BBQ”:

Order early. Do not wait until the last minute to order big pieces that make the party. For example, I ordered linen buffalo plaid black and white table cloths from www.efavormart.com and they luckily were delivered a day or two before the party, but they e-mailed me many times saying the table cloths were backordered and to make a long story short, they made it happen.
“Google sheets” is SO SO helpful. I had everything I wanted to buy with the price and who was going to buy it all in this spreadsheet so the cost was even throughout the family members. Google sheets also lets every family member (that you invite via google) to review the list so everyone knows who is buying what. I also used Google sheets to write out all the attendees names/addresses/rsvp so we knew the head count at all times.
Mailing invites is still a thing. Even in this modern times we live in, mailing invites is a preferred source and the official source of being invited to a party. E-vites are fun and a good way to invite the Gen-Z (did I type that right, probs not) and the millennials but when you’re inviting Grandma you must provide a formal invite. Also, might just be my opinion but for any major milestone, I believe a formal invite is protocol. No ifs ands or buts about it. Spend that money, folks.
People still look forward to party favors. Even if it is something small, people will always remember how much fun they had at your party when they have a party favor. For this party, I had hand sanitizers with stickers that read their names (J&J) on them (see featured photo) for the party favors. Because who doesn’t want an extra hand sani in their purse/car/briefcase during this time in the world?
Last but not least, when in doubt, go above and beyond. Nothing is worse when you’re decorating for the party and it looks like nothing was done to make the party special and the guests are set to arrive in 1 hour. Buy the balloons, string the lights, cater the food, light the candles, rent the tents, order the flowers, hang the banners, frame the pictures…do it all. If you don’t use something, you can always return it. And at the end of the party, you can either give everything to the couple/person you’re throwing the party for as a gift OR you can help take down and keep it and reuse for another party. Your money, your choice!