With a little bit of planning and some creative ideas, a virtual engagement party can be just as fun and memorable as a gathering in the real world.
If you recently got engaged over the festive period, you might be having a rough time figuring out the best way to celebrate this exciting and pivotal time in your life. Pre-pandemic, you might have hosted an in-person gathering with friends and family, but current circumstances are obviously preventing these kinds of events from occurring. Luckily, there is another option: host your own virtual engagement party!
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch
Planning an engagement party can be difficult at the best of times, but throw a pandemic on top of that, and it can turn into a big stress. You want to celebrate this magical moment with your loved ones, but you don’t want to push the Covid-19 limits, so now, you’ve opted for a virtual engagement party, but you’re not sure how to go about it? Well, we have got the solutions for you.
Through a digital platform such as Zoom or HouseParty, couples can now host an engagement party right from their home, and invite all the same guests they would have if they had an in-person party. Even loved ones who live across the country, or the world will now be able to partake in your celebration. While throwing a virtual engagement party is easier than hosting an in-person one, it still requires some careful planning.
How to throw the perfect virtual engagement party.
Stick to a Schedule
First thing’s first, the schedule. Having a set beginning and end time can help your guests plan their personal schedules around your event. Not only that, but having schedules also helps everything run smoothly. In doing this, you avoid scrambling to figure out what to do, or unnecessarily dragging out the event...
Intimate is Best
We understand this moment is important to you and you want to share it with as many people as possible, but inviting everyone you can think of into a virtual engagement party may cause some problems. It is easier to be talked over and harder to get a hold of a large and rowdy Zoom crowd. So, just choose some close friends and family to attend your party, and send the good news either in email or video to others whom you couldn’t invite.
Pick a Theme
Nothing says fun, like a themed party. Given that there will most likely be no other chances to dress up any time soon, use this event to your advantage. Some examples of themes would be 20s, 70s, 90s (any decade really), or choosing a theme depending on the season or how you plan to style your wedding. It's also the perfect ice-breaker!
Photo by Ekaterina Bolovtsova
Gift your Party Presents in the Mail
Usually party presents are sat by the front door as a “thank you for coming” gift to your guests, but because of obvious reasons, you need to work around that. Instead, you can send them through the mail!
If you aren’t sure what to include, some common party present items include, chocolate or mini pastries; they can be home-made or otherwise, it’s up to you! Also look at sending small gift bags, maybe with some handmade scented soaps, some small cute plants, beauty packs, etc!
Plan Some Party Games
Another way to get the best out of your virtual engagement party is to play some games, like Bingo, Never Have I Ever, or Charades. Maybe try a game of Trivia using trivia questions about the happy couple! Using a schedule and planning fun games will help to fill any empty silences and prevent what is known as a “zoom burnout.” This is where after a while of being on the call, the energy of the guests dies significantly. Just make sure they are games that keep your guests excited, and you should have nothing to worry about.
Record the event.
Make sure that someone is recording the party, as it is important to capture this moment. You can record your virtual engagement party through your computer, or likely through an online meeting service like Zoom. Just make sure you know how to record, and have tested it out a couple of times before the actual event. And once the party is over, be sure to share the recording with your guests, so everyone can relive the fun!