MAIN Party Ideas Engagement Guide Engagement Party

You're engaged!

Welcome to the next few months or even years of planning for the big wedding day...

Meanwhile, the engagement party is the first big event. It may also be the first social gathering that both families attend together. Creating the guest list, choosing the food, and picking the type of party and the venue is a small sample of the wedding plans ahead.

Traditionally, the parents of the bride-to-be are usually the ones to foot the bill for the engagement party, but nowadays the couple may host their own celebration.

Just keep in mind that, in addition to introducing your circle of friends, the engagement party is normally where both families are introduced to each other. Therefore, striking a good balance between each family's party "style" (and perhaps several generations of family members who will be attending) is always a good idea when making arrangements.

If you're paying for the engagement party yourself, that means not going overboard with expenses that you'll later need for the big day! When all is said and done, learning to keep stress at a minimum is the key to success.

Just up ahead, check out more ideas from around the web for tips to make the first pre-wedding event a big hit with friends and family....

More about engagement parties around the Web:

20 Engagement Party Games & Activities They'll Love - A whole list of fun ideas for party guests including board games and backyard contests.

Engagement Parties - 60 Engagement Party Ideas - Looking for a engagement party theme? Check out these hot ideas including a wine tasting, costume ball, and more ...