There are so many fun engagement party themes to consider, whether you're planning an engagement party for someone you love or planning one for yourself (congrats!). In this guide, we breakdown 12 engagement party themes, including what supplies you'll need, so you can get planning.

1. Formal Dinner Party

A formal dinner party is a great way to kick off an engagement with an intimate number of family and friends. Start by determining how many people will be in attendance – this will determine the amount of chairs, plates, flatware, and drinkware you'll need, in addition to how much food you'll need to serve. Here is a list of items to check off as you go:

• Table linens to dress up the table (table runner or tablecloth, and a placemat or charger plate for each person's place setting).
• A cloth napkin and napkin ring for each place setting.
• Full plate set for each person (including salad plate, soup bowl, entree plate, and dessert plate).
• A set of utensils for each person, including specialty utensils like a steak or fish knife depending on the courses you plan to serve.
• A drinkware set for each person, including a water glass, white wine glass, and red wine glass for each person – plus champagne glasses to toast the newly-engaged couple.
• Serveware dishes and utensils for buffet-style dining.
• Table decor like centerpieces and candles to add to the celebratory ambience.
• Extra chairs and/or folding tables to accommodate additional dinner guests.

Tip!

Learn more by reading these hosting guides:
How to Host a Dinner Party: Our Step-by-Step Guide
Silverware Placement: How to Set Silverware on the Table
Etiquette Training: Basic Napkin Folding Methods.

Engagement Dinner Party Recipe Inspo:
Chestnut Salad With Pomegranate Dressing
Easy One-Pot Sesame Chicken
Pork Tenderloin With Spice Rub
Crème Brûlée With Fresh Berries

2. Cocktail Party

For a less-formal celebration, a cocktail party is the way to go! This engagement party theme relies on small bites and a selection of cocktail drinks – no sit-down dinner or meal required. Keep in mind that for each person you invite, you'll need about four to eight appetizers/small bites. So if you plan to invite 20 people to the engagement party, there should be 80 to 160 servings of food.

• Disposable plates to eliminate dishwashing and to ensure they are more lightweight and easier to hold (ideal for standing cocktail parties).

• Disposable utensils, including cocktail forks or toothpicks for bite-size food. Opt for sets that are double the number of guests to ensure you don't run out.

• Disposable serving trays and stands to show off small sandwiches, kebabs, and other handheld food options.

• Disposable serving utensils like tongs or spoons to keep everything sanitary.

• Drink dispensers for self-serve cocktails.

• An Outdoor bar counter and cocktail-making tools (if you have someone making drinks).

• An ice bucket (or two) to chill non-alcoholic drinks and a separate ice bucket to keep fresh slices of lime, lemon, or oranges for drinks.

• Disposable cups or cocktail glasses – buy them in bulk to ensure there's more than enough for each person to try each cocktail option.

• Disposable straws and napkins – you can never have too many!

• Folding tables to hold drinks, snacks, and extras, and table linens like a tablecloth or runner to provide a polished look.

Tip!

For more specifics, we recommend reading Lazy Girl's Guide: Throw a Last-Minute Cocktail Party.

Cocktail Party Small Bites:
Lazy Girl's Guide: 5 Time-Saving Appetizers
Strawberry & Honey Ricotta Crostini
Pear & Brie Pastry Recipe
Smoked Salmon Appetizer

Engagement-Worthy Cocktails:
Romantic Raspberry Champagne Cocktail
Cocktail Recipe: Moroccan Green Tea Mojito
Your Weekend Cocktail: Black Walnut Old Fashioned

3. BBQ

Interested in hosting a laid-back engagement barbecue? We've got you covered. We already have a guide that lists everything you need to host the perfect engagement BBQ, from disposable tableware to grill must-haves: BBQ Essentials to Set Your Next Backyard Party Up for Success.

Recipes That Are Great on the Grill:
Stuffed Grilled Chicken Recipe
Tzatziki Grilled Rack of Lamb Recipe

4. Garden Party

A garden party is extra romantic and perfect for spring or summer engagements. These types of engagement parties can be more like formal dinner parties, brunches, or cocktail parties – it's completely up to you! Here are some essentials for hosting a beautiful garden engagement party:

• Decorative shade options to keep cool and add to the ambience (like the fringe umbrella above).

• A stylish outdoor dining setup – you can also dress up your current furniture with patio decor like outdoor pillows, a colorful patio rug, or elegant table linens.

• Outdoor serving and tableware that matches your color scheme.

• Ice bucket to chill wine, champagne, and other bottled drinks.

• An outdoor fountain that you can enjoy long after the engagement party.

Tip!

Take a look at these
Garden Party Ideas for the Ultimate Outdoor Gathering or get inspired with our guide on How to Set a Whimsical Table.

Garden Party–Appropriate Cocktail Inspo:
Lemon Thyme Wine Spritzers.

5. Wine & Cheese Night

Congratulate your engaged friends with a home wine tasting and a cheese spread! We go over everything you need, from the number and type of wine glasses to wine and cheese selections, in our guide on How to Host the Ultimate Wine Tasting Party. We also recommend taking a look at our guide on How To Build a Charcuterie Board – Everything You Need! for the perfect blend of meats, cheeses, and fruits to include.

Tip!

If the newly-engaged couple are more into beer than wine, consider hosting a beer tasting party, or have a selection of beer for non-wine drinkers: How to Host a Beer Tasting Party

6. High Tea

Celebrate an engagement with a high tea party! These can be hosted in- or outside and are perfect for alcohol-free or mid-afternoon celebrations. To get started, check these items off your list:

• Tea sets with multiple teapots (depending on the size of your guest list) and matching tea cups and saucers (one teacup or saucer per guest).

• Disposable plates and napkins for food – or real plates and cloth napkins for more formal parties.

• Tiered dessert stands to display finger sandwiches, pastries, and dessert options.

• Decorative table linens to create a stylish tablescape.

Tip!

If it's your first time hosting a tea party, practice How to Steep Tea Like a Pro.

7. Engagement Brunch

For breakfast enthusiasts, an engagement brunch is the perfect way to toast to the engaged couple. These gatherings can be as formal, informal, intimate, or large as you want. These are some must-haves for any engagement party brunch:

• Table linens to make the table look nice: tablecloth or table runner and a placemat or charger for each person.

• A cloth napkin and napkin ring for each place setting or disposable napkins for less formal engagement brunches.

• A plate set per person (side plate, main plate, and a bowl for fruit) or disposable plates for informal gatherings.

• A set of utensils for each person or disposable utensils.

• A drinkware set for each person, including a water glass, juice glass, and coffee mug – including additional drinkware for any breakfast-friendly cocktails you plan to serve (like mimosas or Bloody Marys).

• Serveware dishes and utensils for brunch buffets.

• Drink dispensers or serving pitchers for water, juice, cocktails, coffee, and milk or creamer.

• Extra chairs and/or folding tables depending on the number of brunch guests.

Brunch-Inspired Recipes for an Engagement Breakfast:
Set Up a Make-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar
Potato & Spinach Fritters
Mixed Berry Dutch Baby Pancake
Banana Bread French Toast

8. Celebratory Bonfire

Kick back and congratulate the newly-engaged couple in your life with an engagement bonfire party. All you need is a fire pit, seating, cold drinks, good music, and things to snack on, so you can focus on the couple.

• Fire pit and plenty of firewood.

• Enough outdoor chairs for everyone to sit comfortably.

• Disposable tableware, including plates, cups, napkins, and utensils.

• Ice bucket to store drinks and cold food.

• Garden stools or side tables for people to put their drinks.

9. Dessert Social

A dessert social is like a cocktail party but just with dessert only! This is an ideal engagement party theme if the couple is getting engaged around dinner time and you plan to surprise them after! For this party, you'll need:

• Tiered dessert stands and cake stands to display dessert selections.

• As a general rule of thumb, there should be enough of each dessert for everyone to have at least one or two servings.

• Champagne flutes (at least one per guest).

• One or more ice buckets to chill the champagne and additional drinks (if provided).

• Disposable tableware, including plates, utensils, and napkins.

Dessert Inspo That Your Guests Will Love:
Easy Lemon Bars Recipe
Girls' Night In: Margarita Cupcakes
Coconut Cake Recipe

10. Engagement Pool Party

If you have a pool, consider hosting a summer pool party as a way to celebrate an engagement.

• Fun pool floats to splash around on.

• Beach towels (at least one per guest).

• Ice buckets for cool drinks and cold food options. You can also fill a kiddie pool with ice for an on-theme drink display.

• Chaise lounges for relaxing by the pool.

• Disposable tableware if you plan to serve food.

Tip!

Review Plan Your Next Pool Party With These 12 Poolside Essentials for even more must-haves.

11. Movie Night

Have a movie night where you watch the engagement video or do a slideshow of engagement pictures to help everyone feel a part of the special day. Here's what you'll need:

• A projector and a screen (unless using a TV inside).

• For outdoor showings – patio seating and floor pillows.

• Disposable tableware for drinks and snacks.

12. Holiday-Themed Engagement Party

If an engagement falls around a holiday, consider a holiday-themed engagement party! Whether it's around Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, or another holiday, you can't go wrong. Check out these guides for party must-haves:
12 Easy Halloween Party Ideas for Your Next Fall Celebration
How to Host a Christmas Party in 7 Easy Steps

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