Why limit your wedding celebrations to just one day? Enjoy this wonderful time in your life by having multiple parties that celebrate the occasion; but be sure not to tire yourself out or exhaust your friends and family members. How many wedding events should you be having? To find the wedding event “sweet spot,” check out our guide.
Engagement Party
Many couples hold an engagement party shortly after one partner pops the big question. It’s a chance for your significant other’s family and yours to spend more time together, and for your friends to enter into the joy of your upcoming union with you.
The engagement party can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. If you’ve got plenty of time until the wedding, you may want to go big with the engagement party. However, if you’re planning to get married fairly soon, keep the engagement party simple and limit the guest list.
Bridal Shower
Traditionally, sometime after the engagement part and before the wedding, a family member or friend will host a bridal shower for you, offering relatives and friends another chance to spend time with you and shower you with lovely presents that will help the two of you start your lives together.
Bridal showers can be female-only, or they can include couples. Decide whether you want a girls-only event or whether you and your future spouse would prefer to receive the shower gifts together.
If you’re not encouraging presents, or if you’d like the bridal shower to be more relationship-focused, consider tweaking the traditional shower idea and doing an activity together instead, such as going to a spa.
Bachelorette/Bachelor Parties
Shortly before the wedding, the bride usually enjoys a night of fun and freedom with her closest friends. The bachelorette party often features games, drinks, food, dancing, and whatever else the bride would like to check off her bucket list before getting married. The groom usually has a similar night out with friends, sometimes extending overnight.
While the bachelor and bachelorette parties often have risqué overtones and may involve strippers, they don’t have to conform to this stereotype. If the future spouses-to-be want to switch up the norm, sporting events, golfing, camping, spa treatments, arcade games, shopping, and other activities can be great alternatives.
Rehearsal Dinner
The evening before the wedding, the groom’s family usually hosts a dinner for the wedding party and immediate family members. It’s an intimate gathering that allows for closer connections and relationship-building between the families and friends of the couple.
Instead of doing a dinner, you can opt for a brunch or lunch on the day of the wedding. It might be a little more stressful due to last-minute tasks that need to be done— but it also ensures that everyone gets something to eat on an otherwise busy day.
Wedding After-Party
It’s becoming popular for couples to host an after-party following the wedding. Friends that couldn’t make it to the wedding may be able to attend the post-wedding party, and guests of the wedding can continue celebrating with the couple and their family. However, this party is completely optional and not expected.
As you plan your list of pre-wedding events and post-wedding events, keep in mind that traditions are guidelines, not rules. You can tweak the traditions or eliminate them altogether if they don’t suit your budget or personality. Remember, Nanina’s in the Park provides a beautiful venue, excellent vendors, and sumptuous menus anytime you need a space for a gathering. Contact us today to schedule a tour.
