An engagement party is the perfect way to celebrate your love story’s first major milestone and share your joy with family and friends before the wedding planning really begins. Engagement parties are common in the US and elsewhere, and they are growing in popularity in the UK too. Whether you’re looking for an intimate gathering or a lively event, planning the right theme, decor, and venue is essential.

This guide will take you through the key considerations for planning a stunning engagement party, with a special focus on venues, themes, and decor in the UK.

Choosing Your Perfect Theme

Every party is more fun with a theme, right? The theme of your engagement party sets the tone for the entire event. It’s important to select something that reflects your personality as a couple and aligns with the atmosphere you wish to create.

Here are some popular engagement party themes to consider:

Classic British Garden Party

A quintessentially British theme, the garden party is ideal for an outdoor summer engagement celebration. Think manicured lawns, floral decorations, and vintage furniture. Serve quintessential British refreshments such as Pimm's, finger sandwiches, and scones with clotted cream. This theme works well in venues like historic country estates, botanical gardens, or even your own back garden.

Decorate the space with floral arrangements, bunting, and vintage tea sets. If you're going for a slightly more rustic take, add elements like wooden tables, wildflowers, and soft string lights for a magical evening atmosphere.

Modern Industrial Chic

For couples who love urban, contemporary vibes, the industrial chic theme is a perfect match. This theme combines minimalist decor with edgy, raw materials like exposed brick, metal, and concrete, offering a stylish, understated elegance. Venues in cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham have converted warehouses or lofts that provide the perfect backdrop for this theme. Breweries and distilleries could also serve as the perfect industrial chic backdrop for your engagement celebration.

For decor, incorporate metallic accents, geometric shapes, and greenery to soften the industrial feel. Consider using large Edison bulbs, metallic chairs, and sleek table settings to create a chic, modern atmosphere.

Rustic Barn Celebration

For couples dreaming of a countryside engagement party, the rustic barn theme is an excellent choice. This theme is perfect for those who love a relaxed yet romantic vibe. Think exposed wood, fairy lights, and natural materials.

Decorate with wooden tables, mason jars, and wildflowers to enhance the rustic aesthetic. Add twinkle lights or candles to create a warm, inviting atmosphere. This theme is perfect for couples looking for an intimate, homey celebration with a relaxed, countryside feel.

Gatsby Glamour

For couples looking to go all out with a luxurious engagement party, the Great Gatsby theme brings opulence and glamour to the table. Inspired by the Roaring Twenties, this theme is all about art deco details, gold accents, and lavish décor. Think black and gold, feathers, chandeliers and a champagne towers.

To decorate, think of sparkling glassware, decadent table settings, and luxurious fabrics like velvet and silk. Don’t forget to include a jazz band or DJ to keep the party lively and swing dancing all night.

Setting A Budget

Before you dive into the exciting details of themes, decor, and venues, it’s crucial to set a budget for your engagement party. This will help guide your decisions and ensure that you stay on track financially, particularly as the wedding itself will likely be your biggest investment. Here's how to establish a realistic budget for your UK engagement party:

Decide Who's Hosting

Traditionally, engagement parties were often hosted by the bride’s family, but modern couples frequently opt to host (and fund) their own party. Sometimes, both families or even friends may want to contribute. Before you set a budget, have an open discussion with anyone who is likely to be involved in funding the event. This will give you clarity on the total budget available and how to allocate it.

Guest List Considerations

One of the most significant factors in your engagement party budget will be the number of guests. Unlike your wedding, the engagement party guest list can be much smaller, typically close friends and immediate family. A smaller guest list allows for a more intimate, cost-effective event.

If you’re planning a larger celebration, you’ll need to factor in additional costs for food, drinks, and seating arrangements. Deciding early on how many guests to invite will help you estimate other costs like venue size and catering.

Allocating Your Budget

Once you have an overall budget, it’s important to break it down into categories to ensure you’re covering all aspects of the event. A typical engagement party budget might include the following categories:

Venue: Whether you’re opting for a luxury hotel, a country barn, or a charming local pub, your venue is likely to be one of your largest expenses. If you're on a tight budget, consider hosting the party at home or choosing a venue that offers package deals.

Venue finders like Tag Venue can help you find a venue that meets your specifications.
Catering and Drinks: The cost of food and drinks can quickly add up, so it’s essential to decide on the type of catering early on. Will you serve a sit-down meal, opt for canapés, or keep it casual with a buffet? Similarly, will you provide an open bar, or limit alcohol to a specific amount with guests purchasing additional drinks?

If hosting at home, or at a venue that allows you to provide your own alcohol, consider buying drinks in bulk when they’re on promotion at your local supermarket, or from suppliers like Costco (if you are a member) or Majestic Wines.
Decor: Decor costs can vary depending on your theme and the level of customisation. DIY decorations can save money, but don’t forget to factor in the cost of materials. If you hire a professional decorator or florist, get quotes early to ensure they fit within your budget.
Entertainment: Whether it’s a live band, DJ, or simply a playlist, entertainment is an important part of setting the right mood. If your budget is tight, a carefully curated playlist and good sound system can work wonders.
Photography: While hiring a photographer isn’t essential, capturing memories from your engagement party can be a nice way to look back on the day. You could also ask a talented friend or family member to take photos if a professional isn’t in the budget.

If you plan to have your wedding in a similar location to your engagement party, you might be able to strike a deal with a photographer for both events, especially if you host your engagement party in the wedding “off-season” (January-March) when photographers may be less busy.

Be Flexible and Prioritise

When setting your budget, it’s important to be flexible and ready to adjust your expectations. You might need to compromise on one area to allow for more spending in another. For example, if you have your heart set on a high-end venue, you may need to reduce your guest list or opt for simpler decor. This kind of compromise could also come up in your wedding, so having a “trial” run with an engagement party could be a good thing!

Prioritising what’s most important to you as a couple will help you make decisions when budgeting. Whether it’s a specific venue, delicious catering, or the perfect decor, focusing on a few key elements will ensure your engagement party feels special without breaking the bank.

Plan for Unexpected Costs

Even with the best planning, unexpected costs can arise. It’s a good idea to set aside a small portion of your budget (about 10-15%) to cover any last-minute expenses, such as additional drinks, unforeseen decor needs, or even a last-minute change of venue due to weather.

Find the Right Venue

Once you’ve settled on a theme and set a budget, selecting the perfect venue is the next crucial step. In the UK, engagement party venues range from quaint countryside cottages to chic city venues, and everything in between. Here are a few venue types to consider:

Historic Estates and Country Houses

For a touch of grandeur, UK country houses and estates offer stunning backdrops for your engagement party. These venues often come with sprawling gardens, period architecture, and timeless elegance.

Country estates typically offer a variety of spaces, from grand ballrooms to intimate dining rooms, allowing you to adapt the space to your party size and style. The scenic surroundings also make for gorgeous photo opportunities.

Urban Rooftops and Converted Warehouses

If you’re looking for something modern and unique, the UK’s urban landscape is dotted with cool, contemporary venues. In cities like London, Manchester, and Liverpool, you’ll find industrial-chic warehouses, lofts, and rooftop terraces that offer stunning city views.

These venues are ideal for couples looking for a cool, cosmopolitan vibe and work well with modern or industrial themes. Urban rooftop venues also provide a beautiful backdrop for city views, especially at sunset.

Charming Pubs and Boutique Hotels

For a more relaxed and intimate engagement party, the UK’s charming pubs and boutique hotels offer cosy and characterful settings. Many UK pubs have private function rooms or garden spaces perfect for a small gathering of close friends and family.

Boutique hotels are another great option if you're looking for something unique, with tailored services and stylish interiors. They often provide catering options, which can simplify the planning process. Plus, with accommodation on-site, your guests can stay overnight if needed.

Once you’ve settled on a venue and presumably a date to host your event, make sure to send out invitations with enough notice so that your nearest and dearest can plan to attend!

Decorating Your Space

Once you’ve settled on your theme and venue, it’s time to bring the space to life with decor that complements your vision. Here’s how you can personalise your engagement party with decorations:

Personalised Details

Incorporating personal elements into your decor makes the event feel more intimate and meaningful. Create custom signage with your names and engagement date, and consider using photos from your relationship as part of the decor. For example, a photo timeline of your relationship is a sweet touch that guests will love.

You could also opt for monogrammed napkins, personalised favours, or a guestbook where guests can leave messages for you as a couple. These little details make the day feel unique and special.

Flowers and Greenery

Floral arrangements are a must for any engagement party. Choose flowers that match your theme and venue – for example, wildflowers for a rustic barn party, or elegant roses for a Gatsby-themed soirée.

In addition to flowers, greenery is an affordable yet stylish way to decorate tables, walls, or even ceilings. Consider hanging floral installations for a dramatic effect, especially if your venue has high ceilings or open spaces.

If you choose to use faux-florals, these items could be repurposed for your hen-do and/or your wedding!

Lighting Magic

Lighting is a powerful tool when it comes to setting the mood for your engagement party. For an outdoor event, fairy lights, lanterns, and candles create a warm, magical atmosphere, especially as the evening sets in. For industrial or modern venues, oversized Edison bulbs and uplighting can add drama and elegance to the space.

If you’re going for a glamorous theme, chandeliers or gold-accented candelabras are the perfect touch to elevate your decor. Additionally, consider using a light-up dance floor or a statement neon sign with a fun or romantic phrase.

Table Settings and Backdrops

Your table settings should reflect the overall style of your engagement party. For a rustic look, wooden tables with simple linen runners and mismatched crockery work beautifully. For something more formal or elegant, consider gold cutlery, crystal glassware, and luxurious fabrics for table linens. Don’t forget to incorporate your theme into the napkins, place cards, and centrepieces.

Backdrops also make a big impact, especially for photo opportunities. Whether it’s a flower wall, a custom banner with your names, or a creative balloon installation, a beautiful backdrop adds a fun focal point for your guests. Some options could even be re-used on your wedding day if you decide to purchase versus rent.

Use Pinterest to find ideas as well as Etsy for finding vendors who can create your perfect engagement party decor.

Ready to Plan Your Engagement Party?

Are you ready to start planning your engagement party? Just remember that the day is about you and your partner and should be a fun start to your period as an engaged couple.

Plan Your Perfect Engagement Party