A wedding is a huge celebration, and with all the months planning of the fine details and the guest lists, it is a good idea to take some time out and celebrate with a mini-party. Traditional weddings often have a plethora of get-togethers from the engagement party to rehearsal dinner. Find out more about these parties and how to celebrate them (if you want).
Engagement Party- For most parents, finding out that their daughter is engaged is a call for celebration, and thus the engagement party was born. These days, though, the engaged couple can throw their own engagement party. Often these are small get-togethers, but this party can be as big as you’d like. Remember it is wise to only invite the people you plan on inviting to the actual wedding. It also would be a good idea to register for gifts ahead of time, even before the engagement party.
Bridal Shower- This is a party that the bridesmaids plan for the bride. The party usually consists of a meal, games and entertainment, and, of course, gifts. Bridal showers can be traditional, themed, or even coed (invite the groom and his friends). There are generally not a lot of rules when it comes to planning the party, but it would be a good idea to have a bridesmaid keep a record of the gifts received at the shower to make it easier to write thank you notes to the gift givers.
Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties- Like the bridal shower, this party has evolved throughout the decades. What used to be the one last night for a groom to go out and party with his friends, has now evolved to a coed celebration for men and women -party ideas can include almost anything from bowling to even rock-climbing expeditions.
Rehearsal Dinner- This party is traditionally thrown by the groom’s family and is often on the night before the wedding. While it’s usually held as an actual rehearsal for the big day, this party is usually a fancy fete and includes lots of toasts for the bride and groom.
