Your wedding is undoubtedly the main event, but it’s not the only event related to you getting married. Once you become engaged, there are several pre-wedding events to think about leading up to your big day. Below, the wedding and flower experts at Walter Knoll Florist – Weddings & Events break it down for you. From the event type to when it happens, who attends, and who should host, we list all the parties you get to enjoy on your way from being engaged to becoming married.
Engagement Party
Becoming engaged to the love of your life is an excellent cause for celebration. Your close friends and family members are also happy for you and having an engagement party is a terrific way for them to celebrate this joyful moment, too. Usually hosted by either the bride’s parents or the groom’s parents, this event should occur within one to three months after the engagement. Holding the party at someone’s home is a lovely, intimate way for friends and family to show their excitement and happiness for you. The guest list should be kept relatively small to maintain a personal touch and should all also receive invites to the wedding.
Bridal Shower / Couples’ Shower
The bridal shower typically occurs closer to the wedding date, usually three weeks to three months prior, and is an all-female affair to honor the bride. Bridal showers are typically hosted by a member of the wedding party, such as the bridesmaid, but may also be done by parents or other relatives or friends. Usually, there are games, gifts for the bride, and a meal. Lately, couples are opting to share the shower where both the bride and groom are celebrated together by guests of all genders.
Bachelor & Bachelorette Party
Traditionally a wild night out for the bride and her bridesmaids and the groom with his groomsmen, the bachelor and bachelorette parties are considered the “last hurrah” of singledom before becoming married. It’s a great way to bond with close friends and take a break from the stress of the upcoming nuptials. No longer just relegated to a night of drinking in a bar, bachelor/bachelorette parties are now a reflection of the personality of the bride/groom and feature spa treatments, tickets to an event, or even far away destinations. The parties are often held a month or two before the wedding and hosted by members of the wedding party. Anyone who is invited to a bachelor or bachelorette party should also be invited to the wedding.
Bridesmaid Luncheon
This pre-wedding event is a great way to show your appreciation for your bridesmaids and any assistance or travel costs they may have put up to be a part of your wedding. The luncheon usually occurs a day or two before the wedding and takes place in an intimate restaurant with a relaxing atmosphere so that everyone can have a fun, stress-free time. The bride is the one who typically hosts this event and can invite flower girls, mothers of the bride and groom, or any other close female relative who is not in the bridal party. All guests should be invited to the wedding, though.
Rehearsal Dinner
The rehearsal dinner takes place after the wedding rehearsal on the evening before the wedding. It is usually held in a private room at a restaurant or a large banquet room, depending on the size of the guest list. Guests include close family members and friends, and members of the bridal party. The groom’s family or the couple themselves typically host this event.
For all of your wedding or event flower needs, choose Walter Knoll Florist – Weddings & Events.