Party Time

a guide to pre-wedding events

When you get engaged, you’re not the only one excited to celebrate. Everyone from moms and aunts to friends old and new are standing by to help toast to your happiness. Let’s take a look at some of the ways brides and grooms are partying before the biggest party of them all.

ENGAGEMENT PARTY

After popping the question, pop the champagne! Engagement parties can be a fun, more-casual chance to get together with those nearest and dearest to celebrate the start of a new chapter in your life. You or a close family member or friend might host a little party, or you could meet out at a favorite bar or restaurant. Regale those gathered with your engagement story and get ready to start casually brainstorming your wedding. Consider this the kick-off to all the parties and planning yet to come.

BRIDAL OR COUPLE’S SHOWER

Traditionally, a bridal shower is meant solely for the ladies. Begin by consulting your wedding guest list. A bridal shower should involve all important women in your life, including extended family, friends, and wives of close friends. Minor acquaintances can remain off the bridal shower guest list. Showers are typically hosted by the mother of the bride or groom, an aunt, or member(s) of the bridal party. If possible, avoid hosting the shower yourself. Giftgiving is a bridal shower cornerstone, so it doesn’t send the right message to throw your own party.

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In appreciation for everyone’s presents and presence, a meal or heavy appetizers are always served. Want to get modern with it? Consider hosting a couple’s shower, where the groom is present along with the most important men in your lives. You can also give any shower a modern twist by hosting it at a restaurant, brewery, or other public event space. Tip: Make sure to have enough items on your registry before sending invites to your shower, and make sure to include the registry link on the invitations. When it’s over, prompt thank-you notes are a must.

BACHELORETTE PARTY

Now’s your chance to let loose! Most bachelorette parties are friends-only affairs, so everyone feels free to let their hair down. You might spend a crazy night dancing on top of the nearest bar, but brides are also branching out. If you’re close with your mom, aunts, and your future mother-in-law, you can always extend the invite if so inclined. Instead of a night of drinking, a bachelorette party might involve a spa day, a trip to wine country, boating, theme parks, drag shows, shopping destinations, live music or theater, and the list goes on. Work with your Maid of Honor, or whoever is planning your party, to make it something that’s fun for not only yourself but the people who come out to celebrate with you.

REHEARSAL DINNER

With just one more sleep until the big day, the rehearsal dinner is, naturally, a chance to rehearse the ceremony and then enjoy a celebratory meal. Invite all immediate family, members of the wedding party and their dates, and any close extended family, such as grandparents. This is a chance to get up and say a few thankful words to those people who matter most to you, and maybe hear some speeches

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by any family members or friends who aren’t speaking at the actual wedding. Typically, a rehearsal dinner is a bit more elegant, but it doesn’t have to be fussy. Nice-casual is a good vibe to aim for, so everyone feels comfortable. In the past, the groom’s family has been known to pick up the tab for the rehearsal dinner, but times and trends are changing. There are no hard and fast rules.

BONUS PARTIES

Some brides consider dress shopping a party. If you’re traveling to another city to shop, or if you’re inviting bridesmaids, aunts, and moms, the act of browsing dresses can suddenly become an allday affair. Lean into it and make the day feel festive! Enjoy mimosas and light appetizers while you shop, or plan a luncheon after a morning spent in bridal salons. This is something you, the bride, should plan and execute, since you will be the point of contact with any bridal shops you’re visiting and can coordinate timing from there.

Another mini party that some brides plan is a bridesmaid brunch or luncheon. If all of your bridesmaids are in town a day or two prior to your wedding, get the girls together for some quality time and yummy food. This is a great way to gather under one roof and get on the same page about the wedding day timeline and field any final questions.

Lastly, when the wedding is over, there’s still a chance for one final party: the post-wedding gift opening. Many couples and their families opt to meet the day after the wedding to share a meal, relive last night’s events, and watch the happy couple unwrap any presents. Having a gift-opening is by no means mandatory.

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