What It Is

• An engagement party is a formal event that is planned in order to celebrate the official engagement of a couple. It always precedes the wedding but is not a mandatory celebration; some couples choose to skip the engagement party and hold out for a lavish wedding instead. Engagement parties can be as big as the actual wedding or smaller, more intimate and more low-key. It all depends on how the couple want their celebration to be. Though it is optional, an engagement party can certainly set the tone for the upcoming wedding.
  
  

How It Affects the Wedding

• An engagement party can have a large or small effect on an upcoming wedding. Depending on the length of time that passes between the engagement and the actual wedding, an engagement party may have no impact at all on the wedding ceremony. If two or more years separate the engagement from the wedding, chances are that the theme and tone of the engagement have dissipated and are no longer fresh in people's minds. When a considerable amount of time has passed between the two events, you may find that even such things as the guest list and design aesthetic for the wedding are completely different from the engagement. However, if the wedding follows the engagement relatively closely, there can be a much greater impact on the wedding. It's important to aim for an engagement party that will be fun and memorable, as this will carry over to setting the mood for the wedding in your mind as well as in the minds of your guests. If people leave the engagement with memories of a great time, they will look forward to the wedding with more pleasure and are more likely to be a part of the wedding ceremony. If the engagement party fails to please because it's crowded with too many people or if factors such as the music and food are subpar, it will have a negative impact on your and your guests' moods. People will be less eager to attend the wedding if they have a bad experience at the engagement party.
  
  

Make It Memorable

• If you're concerned about your engagement party having a negative effect on your wedding, you can work to make it as memorable and pleasant as possible. A great engagement party should be intimate and have a more laid-back feel than the actual wedding. It should be more of a celebration than a truly formal event. This will make guests feel more free and more likely to let loose and enjoy themselves completely. An engagement party is less formal, and thus you can really have fun with it. Give the party a whimsical theme; make it a costume party or a masquerade. Do something unconventional like an engagement pool party. A memorable and enjoyable engagement party will lead to a truly special wedding.