So you are planning an engagement party!
Whilst engagement party invitations are not as formal or significant as wedding invitations, there is still a desire to make a great impression and to present the event in the best possible light.
When sending out these invites to family members, close friends and maybe even a few colleagues, you will want to ensure that the recipient understands all of the relevant details about the party.
Leaving important details out might sound like a rookie mistake, but there have been a number of occasions where the couple have been so preoccupied with the design of the invite or weighed down by other wedding plans that it becomes an afterthought.
Do not fall into this trap.
Let us walk through how you can craft a perfect invitation for your upcoming engagement party.
Time and Date of The Event
The time and date is paramount when listing the requirements necessary to send out engagement party invitations. Have this information in bold so they understand when they have to key this time into the schedule, as there will be some guests who may have to travel interstate or overseas from a long distance. Give enough prior warning between 3-4 months for guests to be able to cater to this requirement and run an approximate end time as well. This will help to inform those attendees about the expected duration of the party.
Location and Address
It is vital when sending out your engagement party invitations that you have the location and address of the venue listed. Even if the party is open to those that know the location inherently, there could be plus one’s that are unaware of the address. For the keepsake looking back at the entire wedding season, it is worthwhile having that detail presented on the invite.
Name of The Hosts
Simply provide the name of the couple at the header of the engagement party invitations. That gives the recipients complete clarity as to which party they are invited to.
How Guest/s Can RSVP For The Event
The key element of engagement party invitations is to give guests an opportunity to RSVP for the event. Have your relevant contact details on hand so these recipients can reply through any of the following means: phone call, email, returned mail or, in some cases, a Facebook RSVP. The former example is quite rare even in 2018 as most engagement party hosts require confirmation that is more traditional and guaranteed than a Facebook confirmation.
Personalised Message
Couples are able to send out engagement party invitations in whichever manner suits them best, but the valuable items are the ones that come enclosed with a personalised message. Even if this is not to address the recipient directly, something warm and welcoming can be enough to draw people in. This could read:
“Kate and Mark are opening their doors to our closest friends and family for a night to remember.”
Given the limitation of space available on a standard card, there won’t be too many characters to play with, so utilise the space well.
Pick a Design That Suits Your Tastes
It is important with this activity not to feel pressured to copy other designs or to be overtly formal when inviting guests to your engagement event. This is not akin to the wedding when there is a higher degree of formality, as you want the invite in this respect to reflect the style of the party. It can be tongue-in-cheek silly, old and rustic, clean and modern or bright and colourful.
Photograph of the Couple
One of the subjective design choices that is on the table for engagement party invitations is the ability to include an image of the couple. This can allow the photo to pop out more as a standout item and to showcase a warmth and welcoming vibe to those that might be thinking twice about returning an RSVP.
