442 More Days

Let’s talk engagement parties!

So the thrill of your engagement has permeated through every social media platform, every family member, and every person you have known since you were 11.  Everyone is all in a tizzy over the joyous news.  This is the perfect time to think about engagement parties.

When I first began thinking about my engagement party (probably around a year or so before I got engaged), I thought of having one giant formal soirée.  Champagne, cocktail dresses, soft jazz…the whole bit.  What I didn’t know then was that I would end up with nearly FOUR engagement celebrations.

About a month after we got engaged, our families took a giant family vacation to Florida.  Many of my relatives live there and Steve has a grandmother that lives there.  We visited Orlando where my grandparents and aunt live, and while we were there we spent a day of fun at EPCOT Center (one of my favorite places).   Little did we know that Steve’s parents had planned a special evening for us.  Hence…Engagement Celebration: Part 1.  They had planned a private boat ride for the whole family that took us out on the lake to watch the fantastic fireworks show.  It was complete with a personalized Disney engagement cake, champagne, snacks, blankets, bride and groom Mickey ear hats, and engraved forks (which we will be eating with at our wedding).

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Then if that wasn’t the greatest thing ever, we got to venture to Vero Beach Florida the next day and attend an Easter luau hosted by Steve’s grandmother, complete with leis, limbo, and lots of delicious food!  The luau doubled as Engagement Celebration: Part 2.

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After our magical time in Florida, we returned to Arizona for the party that I had planned on having all along.  My parents threw a formal party for friends and family in Arizona at a family friend’s beautiful home.  I planned every detail from the giant array of foods, the decor, the guest list, the cute little picture frames, and the music playlist.  The best part was that my friends and family were taken in groups on a boat ride around the lake community under the starts.  And so it was Engagement Celebration: Part 3.

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And finally, after all of that, Steve of course had to get his dream engagement party: a laid back pool party complete with guacamole, lots of friends, pool noodles, and a fill-in-the-blank white board, followed by some drinks at the bar.  And so it ended with Engagement Celebration: Part 4.

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Is it necessary to have four engagement parties?  Of course not.  But I like to think that this only happens once in your life and you should share the happiness with as many people in as many ways possible.  I am also incredibly blessed.

Fun little tips:
1. Your engagement party is the perfect time to start getting used to things being “all about the two of you”.  If you’re a moderately reclusive person who doesn’t enjoy the spotlight, you might feel a bit out of your comfort zone (*cough* Steve *cough*).  Try to enjoy the fact that so many people are loving and supporting you at this time in your life and relish in it.
2. Details are key.  Each of our celebrations had a few personal little details to make them special.  Banners, photos of us, a timeline of our relationship, a date jar, a personalized music playlist, etc. can all add a magical touch.
3. Planning this party gets you nice and warmed up for the oodles of planning that lay ahead.  So put a lot into it and see where you strengths are and what areas you’ll need some extra help with.

Thankfully there will only be one wedding.

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