What To Wear To An Engagement Party
If you’re in a close friendship or relationship with someone who is newly engaged, or perhaps you’re organizing an engagement party for yourself and your fiancé (congratulations!), you might be wondering what to wear to the engagement party.
Engagement parties are part of the fun leading up to the big day. It’s basically a celebration of the declaration of love, kind of like a pre-party for the wedding itself.
As it’s such an important day for the couple, you need to know exactly what to wear to fit the special theme.
Here is our guide on what to wear to an engagement party, whether you’re a friend of the newly engaged couple or you’re the one celebrating your engagement.
Is There A Dress Code?
First and foremost, you should check if there’s a dress code for the engagement party. Sometimes, a dress code will be listed on the invitation, which will give you a good idea of what to wear.
However, if the invitation does not provide a dress code, you can always ask the host directly so you don’t feel or look out of place.
Not only will a dress code give you some inspiration of what to wear, but disobeying the dress code can be seen as a sign of disrespect to the host.
In most cases, the dress code for an engagement party is smart casual.
What Is The Location?
The location of the party will also be an indicator of what to wear. This is partly because you might want your outfit to match the aesthetic of the party venue, but also so you can dress appropriately.
For example, if the party is held outside, then you might want to refrain from wearing stiletto heels that would otherwise sink in the grass. If the party is in the heat of summer, you should avoid wearing a heavy suit jacket to keep you cool.
Likewise, if it’s an indoor party, then you can afford to dress slightly differently. If the party is in the host’s house, then you can assume the dress code is more casual.
If the party is held in a specific venue, then you should dress accordingly depending on the location.
What To Wear As The Future Bride Or Groom
As the bride or groom, you probably have the easiest job choosing an outfit for your engagement party. At the end of the day, this is your party, and you can wear whatever you want.
However, as you are the star of the party alongside your significant other, you’re going to want to wear something memorable.
The key is to find something that will make you stand out from the crowd, set the tone for the aesthetic, but also something that reflects your personality and feelings at the time.
Future brides can basically wear anything from a cocktail dress to a prom-style dress – whatever makes you happy!
As for colour, brides have the freedom of wearing white if they wish to do so. In fact, wearing a white dress will be a classy nod to your future wedding, kind of like a sneak-peek to the big day.
For future grooms, you can basically wear a laid-back version of what you’ll wear on the big day. Even just a simple white shirt with black pants is a classy yet casual combo, and one that is effortlessly stylish.
You don’t necessarily have to colour match with your significant other, but it helps if the colors don’t clash in pictures.
What To Wear As A Guest
Choosing what to wear to an engagement party as a guest is tough.
You want to find a balance between following the dress code without being too over or underdressed, and you don’t want to stand out from the crowd – especially the hosts.
Ideas For Women
Depending on the dress code and formality of the engagement party, female guests can wear anything from a nice top and jeans to an elegant cocktail dress.
It might be worth discussing with friends to see what they’re going to wear to match a similar vibe.
Cocktail dresses are undeniably the best option for female guests, as they are simple yet elegant, and perfect for an engagement party.
For formal parties, an evening dress (or even something that you would wear to the wedding itself) is also encouraged.
Even a pantsuit or elegant jumpsuit is a good option for those who don’t like skirts or dresses.
However, you can be more casual at an informal party, wherein you won’t want to stand out from the crowd – especially the bride.
Jeans or straight leg pants paired with heels and a nice shirt or top is a simple and classy outfit idea.
When it comes to color and design, you can basically wear whatever you want!
Try to avoid overly bold patterns and colors, however, as this can make you stand out from the future bride and groom in pictures. After all, it’s their big day!
Ideas For Men
The same goes for men – you want to find a balance between being too casual and being too formal.
You won’t need a complete suit with jacket and tie, instead, you can afford to just wear a nice shirt with some suit pants, khakis, chinos, or even a nice pair of jeans.
In most cases, the general rule is to wear something that you would normally wear to the office. Nothing too fancy, just smart enough to fit in!
If you want to express yourself a bit more, you can always opt for a patterned shirt that will match the vibe of the party and venue.
Again, you don’t want to wear anything too bold or extravagant that will stand out in pictures, because this will retract the attention from the happy couple.
Conclusion
While there’s not too much pressure on finding the right outfit for an engagement party, planning your outfit will show that you care about the happy couple, and that you respect their wishes with their chosen dress code.