What Is The Purpose Of An Engagement Party?

Question

and when is it held?

Answer 1

It's really just to make everyone aware of your engagement. It's usually held the week of your engagement but really can be held anytime. We just went out for lunch one day for our engagement party. It's really just a time for everyone to get together and have a party!

Answer 2

I think for the most part an engagement party is family tradition. I have only gone to one, and it was almost a year before the actual wedding. It was a huge event, (serbian culture), people came from all over the world to attend, there was a live band tons of food, lots of alcohol, and dancing....and it was really just a lot of fun for both sides of the family. The family all got to meet for the first time.

The party can be held whenever the bride and groom feel the time is right. The serbian family held it a year before the wedding so that the family would be able to make it to both the engagement and the wedding, since most people had to travel to get to them.

Answer 3

An Engagement Party is held to firstly celebrate your engagement and secondly to introduce your bridal party and all your family to each other.  Both sets of parents and grandparents can meet (or re-connect if they have already met) and your bridal party has a chance to meet each other and meet your parents if they haven't all met yet (I know mine haven't).

An engagement party should be held 1-3 months with-in the proposal.  You can do it right away, but etiquette says you have a month to plan the and enjoy your engagement right after it happens.

Good Luck and Congrats!

Answer 4

The purpose of an engagement party is to announce the engagement to family and close friends.

It is held very shortly after the couple decides to become engaged.  (No sense in holding it six months later, after everyone already knows you are engaged.)

It is usually hosted by family . . . parents or grandparents or aunts or uncles or older siblings.

As with all pre-wedding parties, it is not hosted by bride and/or groom.

Many couples do not have an engagement party.  Some families consider engagement parties traditional and important, while some do not.  Either way is perfectly fine.  If engagement parties are not the norm in your family, then don't worry about it.

Answer 5

An engagement party is held to congratulate the newly engaged couple and to announce that the couple is officially engaged. I didn't have an engagement party, and I find them a tad silly but some people really enjoy them. They are usually held with in a couple weeks of getting engaged.  

Answer 6

My understanding is that an engagement party is to announce to your friends and family that you are, indeed, engaged. Usually the parents of either the bride or groom host the party. Sadly, it often turns into a 'business' event, but nonetheless....you announce you are engaged, prior to the announcement in the newspaper.

It's also a great place to show off your engagement ring!

And let people know to plan on a shower, and plan wedding gifts. It's a time/place to let everyone know where you are registered.  Be prepared...everyone will want to know the date. If you haven't set one, you can be somewhat vague, such as "We are planning sometime next spring, but we are waiting on (whatever. the church, work or school obligations, etc).

Congratulations on your engagement.