How to Celebrate Your Engagement

Congratulations, you're engaged! This is an exciting period of time that you'll certainly remember for years to come, and one that should be enjoyed and celebrated. But for couples who'd like to forgo a formal engagement party, and instead treat themselves to something more intimate, finding unique ways to commemorate this special moment may seem like a tricky task.

Luckily, we put together a list to help you plan the best ways to celebrate your engagement without throwing a huge bash. From having a staycation to planning a scavenger hunt, here are 10 creative ideas that you and your partner will absolutely love.

Take Engagement Photos

Engagement photos are a great way to share the news with your family and friends without throwing a huge party. What's more, your photoshoot will serve as an intimate event for you and your partner to enjoy, as well as a moment in time to look back on for years to come. Another pro? You can use this photoshoot as a trial run for your wedding day photographer.

Donate to an Important Cause

If you want to skip the champagne toasts altogether but your friends and family insist on some type of celebration, consider hosting a fundraiser for a charity, local hospital, or another relief organization. Non-profit organizations are always looking for charitable donations, and using your engagement as a means to raise money for a worthy cause is a wonderful way to kick off your nuptials.

Take a Staycation

Keep your celebration small by hosting a staycation with your significant other. Stay home, or book a nearby hotel or Airbnb, and enjoy your time together by drinking wine, cooking a fancy meal, or watching a movie marathon. Use can even use this time to start thinking about your wedding or future goals as a married couple.

Plan a Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is a great way to get your friends and family together in a festive and non-party way. Create clues that correlate to your relationship and place them around town for an action-packed event that everyone will enjoy. Once the hunt is over, be sure to give the winner a prize as a thank you for their participation, like a gift card to your favorite restaurant or a basket of your favorite treats.

Plan a Special Delivery

If you'd like to do something special for your partner, consider organizing a surprise special deliveryof drinks, food, and desserts to showcase your love. Whether you choose to curate a box of goodies yourself or order one online, we're confident that your significant other will appreciate the effort placed behind this thoughtful engagement-like gift.

Recreate Your Love Story

Two is definitely a party, so if you want to keep your engagement celebration small, commemorate the occasion by recreating your first date or another romantic memory. Some examples include wearing the same outfit you both wore during the original experience or dancing to the same song that played on your first date. No matter your decision, though, this will certainly bring back those precious memories and remind the two of you why you got engaged in the first place.

Celebrate With Your Parents

Toast to your engagement with the people that love you the most: your parents. If they haven’t met, or have only met a few times, an intimate dinner is a great way to get to know each other better before the wedding. Invite both sets of parents over for a home-cooked meal that will certainly live on as a special moment in everyone's life.

Host a Small Dinner

If a large-scale party isn't your vibe, but you'd still like some sort of formal celebration, consider hosting a small dinner for a select group of people. Whether you choose to curate the menu yourself or opt to make reservations at your favorite local restaurant, this dinner will serve as a nice and easy way to share the news with those you love the most.

Take a Vacation

If you and your partner are avid travelers, there's no better way to commemorate your engagement than by taking a vacation. Lean into your wanderlust and book a romantic (or adventurous) trip that'll kick off your soon-to-be marriage in the best way. For those considering a destination wedding, you can even use this as an opportunity to visit the location where you'd potentially like to say "I do."

Treat Yourself

Skip everything altogether and use what you would’ve spent on an engagement party (or engagement activities) on a fancy new appliance or home improvement project. If you don't want to splurge now, save that money and spend it on the wedding and/or honeymoon.

Should Couples Host an Engagement Party?