Sophia is a passionate writer and editor and expert on all things wedding content related, with a First Class degree from the University of Oxford. She frequently shares her wedding advice and tips with leading UK publications on behalf of Bridebook.com, including Harper’s Bazaar, SheerLuxe and Porter Magazine.
Love is in the air, and it’s the happy couple’s big day. Maybe they’ve insisted on no gifts, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get them a card, right?
A wedding card is a lovely gesture that can sometimes mean more to the newlyweds than a physical gift. After all, they’ll be able to look back on your words for years to come and reminisce about the love and warmth shared on their special day. However, knowing what to write can sometimes be hard. Do you stick with the classic, “Congratulations!”, or go for something a little more creative?
Don’t worry, we’re here to guide you. This article explores what to write in a wedding card, some top tips for what to include, and some great examples of wedding card messages.
A wedding card is a card given to the happy couple on their big day. Cards can be given in addition to traditional gifts or simply as a tribute so you don’t show up empty-handed. You don’t have to include money in the card. However, it’s a nice gesture if you aren’t giving a wedding gift.
Wedding cards are a token of your appreciation for being invited to the wedding reception or ceremony. There are no strict rules for what should be written inside, but our advice is to keep it short, sweet, and warm. Offer your words of wisdom, wedding wishes, or share a personal memory to make the card truly special.
It can be tricky deciding what to put in a wedding card. Trying using the following writing tips for inspiration:
Include the key components
The key components of a wedding card include:
Greeting the couple. This is simply a line addressing the bride and groom. For example, “Dear [X] and [Y]” or “To the newlyweds”.
A congratulations message. This is another short and sweet message. “Congratulations on your big day” is fine, as is “You did it! Congrats.”
A heartfelt story, memory, or wedding wishes. This is where the card can get a little more complicated. You need to decide what message you would like to share with the couple. Try to make your message unique and memorable. For example, you can recall how they met, offer advice for a happy marriage, or simply convey your love and best wishes.
A sign-off. Conclude the card with a warm closing, such as “With love,” “Best wishes,” or “Sincerely.” Don’t forget to sign your name below so the couple knows who the card is from.
Check out the infographic below as a handy reference:
Follow this general structure when composing your wedding card message
Consider writing etiquette
Writing etiquette is a series of small mannerisms you need to consider when writing your card. For example:
Use appropriate titles. Address the couple with the appropriate titles. Tradition dictates that the man’s title usually comes first in a male-female couple. However, if they’re a same-sex, gender-neutral, or non-binary couple you can mix it up however you’d prefer. For example, ‘Dr. and Mr,’ ‘Mr. and Mrs,’ or ‘Mx. and Mx.’
Handwritten is best. Where possible, hand-write your card. Typing your card on a computer takes away the personal element and may feel a little transactional.
Avoid any controversial topics. Trust us, a couple’s wedding card is not the time to remind them they owe you £5.
Respect the happy couple. If the couple has asked guests to omit something specific from cards, you should respect this. For example, if they’ve stated they don’t want money or no personalised messages, you should respect this. Although it can feel disappointing to have a dampener put on your generosity, ultimately, it’s their big day, and you should oblige their wishes.
Consider your audience
Consider your relationship with the couple when writing your wedding card. For example, are they family, friends, colleagues, or neighbours? The nature of the relationship will change the tone of your card. For example, you might want to keep it more light-hearted and funny with a friend, but more formal with a work colleague.
Wedding card for a friend. A wedding card to a friend should be warm, friendly, and convey your support for the couple’s future. Consider including a happy memory you’ve shared, a funny anecdote from the hen or stag-do, or even a piece of advice for the journey ahead.
Wedding card for a family member.A card to a family member is usually more traditional and celebratory in tone. It’s your chance to thank the couple for having invited you, to welcome their new partner to your family, and to include your well-wishes on their happy day.
Wedding for a colleague or acquaintance. Keep the tone traditional or formal for a colleague or acquaintance. In this instance, you may not have been invited to the wedding and may be passing on your congratulations afterwards. So, keep it short, sweet, and to the point.
Be mindful of tone
As above, your relationship with the happy couple will determine the tone you take in the card. You might consider keeping a more traditional tone in a card to a family member. However, if the family member is your sister or close cousin, a funny or casual tone might also be appropriate— It all depends on your relationship with that person.
To achieve different tones, try following these tips:
A funny tone. Try including a playful anecdote, funny story, or even a light-hearted joke in your card to keep the tone funny and playful.
A traditional tone. For a more formal or traditional tone, use polite and respectful language. Express your congratulations and best wishes in a sincere and straightforward manner.
A casual tone. When writing in a casual tone, use relaxed and conversational language. Talk to the couple as you would in person, sharing your excitement and affection.
You might like to position your wedding card as a thank you card. For example, “Congratulations on your big day, and thank you for inviting me!”
This is a handy way to express gratitude to the couple for inviting you, while also acknowledging their big day. Think of it as hitting two birds with one stone!
Try using the following template for a casual wedding thank you card:
Dear [NAME] and [NAME],
A massive congratulations on your big day! I’m so excited for both of you to start your new married life together.
It’s been a privilege to watch you grow in your relationship together. I can’t wait to witness your shared journey as you move forward.
Thank you so much for inviting me to your special day. It’s been one in a million, and means the absolute world!
Check out two more examples of both funny and traditional wedding cards.
Funny wedding card example
Hey lovebirds,
You did it! A huge congrats on your special day. I’m super proud of both of you for making it through together.
I remember when you guys met on that rainy night out! Who would have thought you’d end up here when you were both sharing that kebab lady-and-the-tramp style?!
Seriously though, jokes aside — I wish you guys a happy lifetime of love and laughter together.
Best wishes,
[YOUR NAME]
Traditional wedding card example
Dear [NAME] and [NAME],
Congratulations on your big day. It was such a lovely day, and I am so grateful for the invite.
I wish you a lifetime of love, health, and happiness in your life as a married couple.
Kind regards,
[YOUR NAME]
Casual wedding card example
To my wonderful besties,
Wow, you’re officially hitched! A massive congrats on this fantastic day. I’ve got to say, I’m impressed you two made it this far together.
Thinking back to when you first crossed paths, who could have predicted that you’d wind up right here, starting this incredible journey on married life?
Wishing you both so much love, joy and all the good stuff that comes with it.
Keep it simple. There’s no need to write an essay in the couple’s card. Don’t forget, they’ll have a lot of these to read! Instead, keep it short, sweet, and to the point.
Personalise your message. Steer clear of generic or boring messages. Even a traditional card can include a thoughtful wedding wish or express heartfelt excitement for the couple’s future.
Sign clearly. Sign your name clearly so the newlyweds can know who the card is from.
Proofread thoroughly. There’s nothing worse than receiving a card that’s full of spelling mistakes! Consider writing out what you want to say on a separate piece of paper first. You can then commit to writing in your card with confidence.
A wedding card is an often-underrated way to express your heartfelt congratulations and gratitude for being invited to a wedding. It can be used alongside a traditional gift, or in place of one where couples have asked for no gifts.
The most important thing about writing a wedding card is that it’s short and sweet. There’s no need to write an essay about how grateful you are. Instead, thank the couple for inviting you, pass on your congratulations, and personalise your card with a special story or wishes for their future.
If you’re struggling with what to include, we have a great selection of wedding advice and tips available here to help guide your wedding card writing.
Your engagement party is a great way to relax, unwind and celebrate your engagement before you get too deep into planning your wedding. There’ll be lots of food, plenty of drinks and loads of laughs as you spend time with your loved ones.
For many of your family and friends, it could be the first time they’re meeting. Will it be awkward? What will they talk about? What if they don’t have anything in common?
A great way to break the ice, help your guests get to know each other, and show them how much the two of you are in love is with some party games. Games bring people together, introduce some fun and excitement to the night and help create wonderful memories.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at why you should consider having games at your engagement party, which engagement party games are the best and offer you 21 ideas to help you host a party no one will forget in a hurry.
Whether or not you have games at your engagement party is completely your choice, which can be influenced by several factors, including your:
Theme
Venue
Budget
Guest list
Guests’ preferences
It also depends on your own preferences and the feel you want to go for at your party. If you’re looking to host a formal engagement party with a three-course meal, you might not have the time or space to play games. If you’re hosting your party at home or in a park and things are more informal, games are a fantastic way to entertain your guests.
Then again, there’s such a wide variety of games you can play at an engagement party, some games that would suit the most formal of parties.
If you’re on the fence about whether or not to have games at your engagement party, there are plenty of reasons why they can be a great idea. Below are just a few reasons why you should hop off the fence and go ahead with a few games.
Introduces a brilliant icebreaker, particularly if there are guests who are coming together for the first time.
Provides entertainment and gives guests of all ages something to do.
Adds an extra level of personalisation to your engagement party.
Ensures a fun and memorable party.
Prevents any awkwardness or downtime.
Introduces friendly competition.
Encourages your guests to get involved.
What type of games should you have at an engagement party?
The games you choose for your engagement party should be quick and snappy, and offer all of your guests the opportunity to take part. They should be easy to understand and learn, and shouldn’t require too many complex props. The last thing you need is to spend ages explaining the rules, which could really dampen the mood.
If you’ve planned your engagement party to take part outside, like in your back garden or at the beach, make sure your games can be brought inside or you have a plan B. Volleyball is a lot of fun in the garden, but if it starts raining it might be rather tricky to bring it inside and play in the dining room.
Prizes for the winners of your games can encourage your guests to get stuck in and try a little bit harder than they might otherwise. But, they’re not the be-all and end-all, so if you don’t want to or your budget doesn’t stretch that far, that’s fine too.
If you want to offer prizes, why not use them as your party favours? You could have a couple of bigger prizes for overall game winners, like a bottle of wine or a teddy bear, then smaller prizes for everyone else, like some sweets. That way, everyone still gets a little something to remember your engagement party by.
If you know you want to have games at your engagement party but you’re not sure where to start, we’re here to help. Here are 21 engagement party game ideas to give your guests the time of their lives. For more party inspiration, read our post on how to plan an engagement party.
1. Couples quiz
Put a list of questions together to test the couples in attendance. Ask progressively harder questions to see if you can trip up some of your overconfident guests. It’s a great game to play to keep the focus on you and your engagement.
2. Pictionary
All you need is some paper, a marker pen and a few teams. Except, instead of the usual Pictionary rules, make it all about weddings and getting married.
3. Trivia
It’s your night and lots of your loved ones will be there, so why not create a bunch of trivia questions all about you and your new fiance? See who from your friends and family truly knows you best.
4. Guess the year
We all have old photos hidden in the loft or sitting in albums on our social media accounts. Put a collage together and ask your guests to guess the year they were taken.
5. Karaoke
Definitely one for your guests who know how to hold a note, but a lot of fun to listen to your guests who perhaps have a little too much confidence in their abilities. Karaoke is brilliant fun if you have friends and family who don’t mind belting out a tune or two.
6. Ring hunt
Print out some gold rings and cut them out, then hide them around the venue and encourage your guests to find them. Whoever finds one wins a small prize! A great family game that gets the kids involved.
7. Ring toss
To keep it ring-themed, put some props together and throw gold rings over them. The harder or further away a target is, the more points they’re worth.
8. Photo booth
Photo booths are so much fun, and perfect if you’re holding your engagement party at a venue away from home. All it takes is a box of props and your guests will have a great time creating fun and fantastical photos.
9. Two truths and a lie
A hilarious ice breaker, each of your guests announces two things about themselves that are true and one that’s a lie, and your other guests are encouraged to identify the lie. You might find out some interesting things in the process!
10. Cocktail making
All it takes is a few spirits, some mixers, some sugar and some fruit to let your guests become mixologist sensations. See who can create the tastiest cocktail of the night, as well as the guest who will inevitably make a drink that no one wants to finish.
11. Cornhole
A game that’s becoming increasingly more popular but is super easy to pick up, as well as being quite addictive. Throw bean bags to a board and get them through the hole in the centre. A great game to play indoors or outside.
12. Newlywed game
A game that puts you in the hot seat. You and your fiance sit facing away from each other, and you each have a pen and paper. Your guests fire questions at you and you write down your answers, then share them to see if they line up. Another variation is the shoe game, where you hold two shoes (one yours, the other your fiance’s) and hold up the corresponding shoe depending on what the answer is.
13. The memory game
Ask everyone at the party to write down a memory of you. The funnier the better. Then, one by one, they’re read out and your guests have to guess who the memory belongs to.
14. Charades
A party classic, Charades is funny and can be played by everyone. Except at an engagement party, make sure all the movies, books and TV shows are wedding and romance related.
15. Jenga
Part-stressful, part-exhilarating, Jenga is a huge crowd-pleaser. Just make sure your guests play it with their glasses out of the way – you don’t want to spend all your time cleaning up spilled drinks whenever the tower of blocks comes crashing down.
16. Tie the knot
A little naughty so maybe not one for the kids, take a bowl of cherries and invite your guests to see if they can tie a knot in the stalk using only their tongues. It’s sure to get everyone laughing at each other’s skills.
17. Card games
All it takes is a pack of cards and there are a ton of possibilities. Poker, Bridge, Pontoon and even Snap for the kids. You could even use matches or sweets as currency for placing bets.
18. Casino games
If you’re going for a casino theme, you could hire a casino table and dealer to put on some proper Las Vegas-style games. All the fun and thrills of Vegas without the risk of losing all your money – which is perfect ahead of planning your wedding!
19. How many sweets in the jar
Fill a big jar with sweets and ask your guests to guess how many there are. To keep it romance related, they could be jelly lips or love hearts. Then whoever guesses the closest gets to keep the whole jar. Yum!
20. Guess the famous couple
Use emojis, photo mash-ups, anagrams or clues to represent famous couples, then ask your guests to guess and tally up the final score.
21. Don’t say ‘wedding’
Challenge every guest at your engagement party to not say the word ‘wedding’ – it’s a lot harder than you might expect because everyone wants to talk about it! If someone says it, they get a point on the board. Whoever says it the least wins.
Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook
After you’ve thrown your brilliant engagement party, you can focus on planning your wedding. Sign up to Bridebook today to plan your perfect big day.
Have you ever wondered who does the toast at a wedding? Who’s allowed to stand up and share their anecdotes, laughter, and special memories? Who has the honour of raising a glass and toasting to the future of the newlyweds? Well, you’re in the right place, because we’re unraveling the beautiful mystery of wedding speeches.
Wedding speeches can be as customisable as your big day. Of course, there are traditional orders and makers of speeches. But that doesn’t mean you need to stick to those! In this post, we explore who makes different wedding toasts, who can make them in their absence, and some tips on what to include in a wedding toast or speech.
A wedding speech is a tribute or toast made during a wedding reception. Wedding speeches are usually made by the wedding party. For example, the father of the bride, the groom, and the best man. But they can be made by anyone close to the happy couple.
Usually, you’ll be asked to make a wedding speech — you shouldn’t just stand up and make one! Being invited to give a speech at a wedding is an honor, and it marks the significance of your relationship with the couple. It’s a chance to express your love, share memorable stories, and offer your well-wishes for their future together.
Who does a speech at a wedding?
Check out this cheat sheet to see who does a speech at a wedding and in what order
Many people make speeches at weddings. Some are traditional, like the father of the bride, and some are planned but unconventional, like the maid of honour. In this section, we explore who should make different toasts and give you an idea of what to include.
A wedding’s welcome speech is a short address made before any of the other wedding speeches. It usually welcomes the guests to the reception, lets guests know what the order of speeches will be, and how long they can expect the speeches to take. It might also acknowledge the guests’ efforts in coming to the wedding, a thank you for attending the celebration, or a few thoughts on love and commitment.
The first speech at a wedding is usually the father of the bride speech. This speech is usually a mix of pride and nostalgia, and is traditionally made by the father of the bride. But it can also be made by a father-like figure in the bride’s life. More on this later.
The first speech at a wedding is usually designed to welcome everyone to the reception, and sets the tone for the other speeches. It should include an introduction to who you are, some words about love, and a thank you to all the people who made this day possible. For example, the venue staff, caterers, wedding party, and more.
The father of the bride speech is usually performed by the father of the bride. However, depending on the family dynamic or circumstances, the father of the bride speech can also be made by:
The bride’s uncle
The bride’s step-father
The bride’s sibling
A father figure to the bride (for example, a godfather)
There may be many reasons why the father of the bride isn’t able to make a speech on the big day. All that matters is that whoever steps in to deliver the speech does so with love, sincerity, and a deep connection to the bride.
The groom’s speech is traditionally made by the groom. However, if the groom is feeling shy or there’s any reason why the groom can’t make the toast, the groom’s toast can also be made by:
The bride
The father of the groom
The mother of the groom
A trusted family member
The groom’s toast is supposed to be an address on behalf of the happy couple. But if this isn’t possible, the person making the groom’s toast should focus on thanking everyone for their contributions, talking about how special the day has been, and expressing their well-wishes for the future.
The best man’s speech is usually made by the best man. However, if this isn’t possible, or if the groom doesn’t have a best man, the third speech in the order of speeches can be made by:
The maid of honour
The bride
The groomsmen
The groom’s sibling
The best man’s toast is intended to be a funny and light-hearted speech, full of jokes and anecdotes about the groom and stories of adventures over the years. However, it can also be a toast to friendship, to the couple’s love story, or an expression of your well-wishes for their future together.
The maid of honour speech is usually made by the bride’s maid of honour on the big day. But it’s becoming more and more common for brides not to pick a maid of honour. As a result, this speech can be made by:
One of the bridesmaids
The bride
The bride’s sibling
The bride’s mother
The maid of honour speech is a lovely but untraditional wedding speech that usually includes anecdotes about wedding planning, special memories of the bride, and support for the couple’s future. It’s a chance to express gratitude for being a part of the bride’s journey and to share in the joy of her special day.
Wedding toasts are more than just a tradition; they’re moments of genuine emotion, humour, and connection that add depth and warmth to a wedding celebration. Wedding toasts are made by a range of people during the reception. However, the order of speeches and who makes the toasts isn’t set in stone — in fact, they can be as customisable as your wedding day.
All that really matters is that the speeches are filled with love, support, and guidance on the happy couple’s big day. Whether you’re sticking to tradition or shaking things up, you’ll need some handy guidance on what to include in a wedding speech and some handy wedding speech ideas. If you’re stuck on where to start, we have a whole host of wedding speech examples to inspire you.
Planning your engagement party will give you a taste of what it’s like to plan a big celebratory bash where you’re the centre of attention. The best part is, unlike with a wedding when there are certain traditions and processes you might follow, what you do for your engagement party is entirely up to you. So, whether you want a big, formal do at a swanky countryside hotel, or you’d prefer to get your closest family and a few best mates around to your house for some drinks and nibbles – go for it.
But, whatever you do for your engagement party, there’s only one way to make sure your loved ones are there – invitations. But how do you invite guests to your engagement party, what do you write and who should you invite to celebrate with you? In this post, we’ll let you know the answers to those exact questions and more, so you can throw the perfect party to celebrate your wonderful engagement.
When’s the best time to throw an engagement party?
Finding the perfect time to throw an engagement party is something of a balancing act. You and your fiance won’t want to dive straight into planning, and instead enjoy your time as a newly engaged couple. But at the same time, you’ll also not want to leave it too close to the wedding, because at that point your guests will be less excited about your engagement but super excited about your impending marriage.
The sweet spot is between two and four months after you get engaged. This gives you enough time to get used to the idea of calling your partner your fiance, plan a party from scratch and give your guests plenty of notice so as many of them as possible can come along.
Traditionally, the bride’s family are the ones to throw an engagement party, whether it’s at their home or a venue elsewhere. Of course, everyone’s situation is different, so this might not always be possible. Today, anyone can throw an engagement party and you can host it anywhere you please so long as it fits within your budget. Remember, the average cost of a wedding in the UK is £19,184, so you might not have all that much budget to spare.
Your budget may also influence the size of your party, so it’s worth bearing this in mind if you’re keen to invite 80+ guests.
Once you know exactly how many guests you can invite to your engagement party you can put your guest list together. Generally, you’ll at least want to invite your closest family and friends and any members of the wedding party, even if you haven’t asked them yet. Then you might want to invite your wider family, other friends, colleagues and neighbours from there. But, it all depends on the size of your party and, ultimately, who you want to be there.
An important thing to be aware of is that whoever you invite to your engagement party will often automatically expect an invitation to your wedding. So, just bear this in mind when it comes to putting your guest list together. If there’s someone you don’t want to be at your wedding, you probably shouldn’t invite them to your engagement party as well.
How you invite guests to your engagement party depends entirely on the level of formality you’re going for. If you’re hosting a three-course meal at a golf club or even a party with a buffet at your local pub, then you may want to send out invitations.
But, if you’re having a few people round for drinks or a movie night, a text might just do the trick. Then again, nothing’s stopping you from sending out invitations for this, either. Or to keep costs down, an evite can tell your guests everything they need to know but with a little less formality.
How far in advance do you send out engagement party invitations?
Because your engagement party is a little more special than your average get-together, you’ll want to make sure as many guests as possible can make it. So, you need to give your guests as much notice as possible so they make sure they’re available. We’d recommend inviting your guests at least a month before the date of your party, but ideally six weeks if possible.
Basically, as soon as you’ve secured a date and your venue, one of the first things you should do is start letting your guests know so they can keep that date free.
If you want to keep things formal and send invitations through the post, there are plenty of options available. Couples spend an average of £414 on wedding stationery, which includes invitations that are usually highly personalised. With your upcoming wedding likely to cost a pretty penny, you may want to avoid spending nearly this much – thankfully, there are far more affordable options.
Card and stationery shops sell party invitations in bulk, which you can personalise by writing in each one. If you’d like them to look a little more formal, why not design your own and have them printed by a website like Vistaprint?
If you want to keep everything online (which is a super easy way to monitor RSVPs) then sites like Paperless Post are quick and easy to use. It’s a step up from a text or phone call, but not quite as formal as sending an invitation through the post.
Or, like we mentioned earlier, if your party is a lot less formal, there’s nothing wrong with a good ol’ WhatsApp group message to hit everyone at once. Just make sure you ask them to let you know by a certain date and keep track of who is and isn’t coming.
An engagement party invitation doesn’t need to say too much, just the who, what, why, where and when, in that approximate order. Then, your guests can ask you for all the juicy details of your engagement and your upcoming wedding at the party itself. Here’s how this information is broken down:
Who – You and your new fiance (and whoever is hosting the party).
What – You’re hosting a party!
Why – To celebrate an engagement!
Where – Where does your party take place? At home or another venue?
When – What date and time does the party start?
You can also include any other information if it’s important, which might be something to do with the dress code (if there is one) or whether you’d like them to bring anything along, like a bottle of wine or a few beers if it’s a barbecue at home.
You’ll also need to include how and by when your guests should let you know whether or not they’re attending, which could be an email address, postal address or phone number so they can drop you a text. At that point, if you’re putting on food you’ll need them to let you know if anyone attending has any dietary requirements.
The tone of your engagement party invitations should reflect the style and type of party you’re throwing, which means they can be formal, funny, minimalist or relaxed. For example, ‘Fancy coming to my engagement party, lads?’ is probably a little too casual if you’re laying out an expensive three-course meal, and ‘You’re cordially invited to join us for an evening of games and beverages’ may be a little too formal if you’re having a games night at home.
Use your judgement to decide how you should word your invitations. Then again, if your guests want to be there they wouldn’t mind however you asked them.
Examples of how to word engagement party invitations
You don’t need to spend ages agonising over what to write and how to write it. Just write from the heart, be true to yourself and how you speak and put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard). If you’re not sure, here are a couple of examples to get you started:
Example 1:
She said yes!
Please join us to celebrate
the engagement of Alice White and Richard Baker!
Saturday 7th August at 7pm
Ridgeway Golf Club, Thornhill
Caerphilly, Caerphilly, CF83 1LY
RSVP whitebakerwedding24@email.com by 7th July
Please let us know of any dietary requirements
We hope to see you there!
Example 2:
Party time!
Peter Gardner and Ryan Eccles
would love you to join them for
food, fun and drinks to celebrate their engagement!
When: Sunday 11th June @ 2pm
Where: 34 Robbins Grove, Tring, Herts, HP22 1PG
Hosts: Julie and Warren Gardner
Please bring a bottle of your favourite tipple!
RSVP by 23rd May by texting 0723410471
Do you need to include postal RSVPs in engagement party invitations?
If you’re hosting a particularly formal engagement party, then you may want to include postal RSVPs with your invitations. However, because engagement party invitations aren’t quite as formal as the invitations you’ll send out for the wedding itself, it’s absolutely fine to ask for a text, phone call or email instead. Just be mindful of any older relatives who might not have an email address, and let them know they can give you a ring if they’d prefer instead.
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Your engagement party is your chance to set your creativity loose and have some fun before you get stuck into the nitty gritty world of wedding planning. Couples are often a lot more relaxed when it comes to planning an engagement party as they’re often not quite as formal as the wedding itself, which means you have the opportunity to go to town and throw any type of bash you like.
As part of that, you can be as imaginative and as unique as you like with your engagement party decorations. Whether you want to go all out and immerse your guests in a different world, or keep things subtle with a few floral notes and balloons, you’re free to do whatever you want.
But where do you start? What should you think about before adding items to your online shopping basket? What decor is considered an engagement party must-have? In this post, we’ll go over everything you need to know when decorating your engagement party to make sure you have everything you need for the perfect celebration.
Whether or not you have decor at your engagement party is purely down to you, your preferences and tastes, and your budget. The engagement party is just one expense of many during the journey towards your wedding, so you might want to keep the costs related to your engagement party on the smaller side. After all, the average cost of a wedding is £19,184, which is a heck of a lot of money for most people.
But, it’s not like you’re hosting just another party. It’s your engagement party – an excuse to push the boat out a little and make it something your guests will remember.
It also depends on the theme of your party. If you’re going hard on the theme, like Mardi Gras or Casino night, you’ll need plenty of decorations to get the immersion you’re going for. If you’re going for a style or theme that’s a little more relaxed, like a garden barbecue or beach party, you can get away with using far fewer decorations – or even none at all. Do what’s best for you, your preferences and the money you have to spare – and think a little bit about the overall experience of your guests too.
What should you think about before buying your engagement party decorations?
Once you’ve decided to throw an engagement party it can be super easy to start buying everything you can think of that has Mr, Mrs, We’re engaged, or I said yes! on it. If this is you, and you’re sat waiting for the Amazon delivery driver as you read this, that’s absolutely fine. But, before you get too carried away, there are a few things you should think about first.
What’s the theme of your engagement party?
Your chosen theme will be one of the main driving factors behind the decorations you buy. For example, if you order a lovely floral welcome sign but then decide to have a Hollywood red carpet-themed party, you might start to wonder if you should have switched the floral sign for one themed to a vanity mirror.
What’s the budget for your engagement party?
With your upcoming wedding, you probably won’t want to spend too much on your engagement party – and that includes your decor. When it comes to weddings, couples spend an average of £1,000 on professionally-sourced decor, so you might not want to spend anything close to this for your engagement party. Whatever budget you set aside, make sure you know what you have before you make your first purchase.
Where are you hosting your engagement party?
The amount of decor you go for is also influenced by your chosen venue. If you’re hosting a party at home or the home of a relative, you can probably get away with having just a few simple decorations. If you have a set theme and you’ve hired a venue, you might want to dedicate a portion of your budget to decor so that the theme comes across clearly. The bigger the venue, the more you’re likely to spend on decorations.
Depending on the theme of your engagement party, there are loads of different decorations you could pick up, whether it’s something for the tables, something to hang on the walls or ceilings, or something unique and eye-catching that makes for a great photo opportunity.
But, regardless of your theme and whether or not you have a lot of budget to play with, some decorations are considered essential by many couples. Below are eight decorations that are perfect for every engagement party.
Party balloons. Nothing screams party time quite like balloons. The best part is, balloons come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours, and can feature designs personalised to you and your theme.
Welcome sign. Greet your guests to your party with a welcome sign that lets them know they’ve come to the right place.
Centrepieces and name cards. If you’re hosting a meal or have any kind of table plan, table centrepieces and name cards are a must-have. You’ll also want a chalkboard or easel so your guests know exactly where to sit.
Unique lighting. Create a warm and welcoming ambience with unique lighting, such as candles, fairy lights or lanterns.
Flowers. You might not want to fill your venue with them, but one or two flower arrangements remind your guests they’re there to celebrate your love.
Banners. Banners let everyone know you’re getting married and are fairly affordable. If banners don’t suit your theme, some lovely bunting will also do the trick.
Confetti/petals. Add a little more of a romantic feel with some confetti or petals.
Guest book. Make sure you have a guest book so your friends and family can leave you messages of congratulations.
Depending on your chosen venue, or whether or not your engagement party (either in part or completely) takes part outside, you should carefully consider what kind of lighting you want to use at your engagement party.
Rainbow lights. In the right setting, colourful lighting can work very nicely. After all, it would be weird to have an 80s disco theme and not have a thousand colours lighting up the dancefloor.
Candles/lanterns. Choose soft, warm lighting to create a warm and romantic atmosphere. Candles and lanterns will cast dancing shadows as they gently flicker, while candelabras make for great table centrepieces (and you can pick up candles to put in them for next to nothing.
A bonfire. If you’re outside and in a safe location, a bonfire will create a brilliant atmosphere with the added bonus of your guests being able to make s’mores.
Fairy lights. Fairy lights are useful for adding a touch of magic and whimsy – the great thing is, battery-powered fairy lights are also fairly inexpensive. You might also get away with busting out the Christmas lights to wrap around doorframes or the edge of a table.
Spotlights/projections. If you want to go all out, spotlights are brilliant for making a statement and will light the outside of your venue for all to see. Similarly, projections can turn the outside of your home into whatever you like – make it rain confetti, turn it into a living Van Gogh painting or simply play a movie to keep the kids entertained.
Can you make your own engagement party decorations?
Yes, making your own engagement party decorations might take a little time and effort, but it can help you save a lot of money and still give you fantastic, personalised decor. If you and your partner are crafty, it’s a great way to spend time together while you chat about your plans for the engagement party and beyond.
5 DIY engagement party decoration ideas
Here are just a few ideas for engagement party decor you can make yourself, even if you’re not particularly arty.
Banners and signage made from a chalkboard, wood or card. If you’re not comfortable using paint, stencils are cheap and offer a professional finish.
Paper flowers are dead easy and quick to make and there are plenty of video tutorials available on YouTube. Any type of origami makes for a unique decoration, and you should be able to find designs related to you and your interests.
A nest of fairy lights inside a jar or vase takes almost no effort but looks fantastic.
Dig through old photos or print off a few at home to create a collage of memories.
Table numbers made using découpage are simple and look great even if you don’t have any experience.
When you’re ready to buy and make decorations for your engagement party, make sure you think about the below tips to make the most of your budget and have a fabulously on-theme bash.
Choose your theme but don’t feel the need to stick to it too strictly. Even a loose theme can work wonders.
Set your budget and don’t be tempted to overspend. Think about the end goal: hosting an amazing wedding with everything and everyone you want.
Make what you can yourself to save even just a little bit of money.
One or two floral arrangements in a carefully selected spot can have a big impact and save you the need to spend hundreds on flowers.
Ask family and friends if they have any old decorations stored in the attic or away in a drawer somewhere that they wouldn’t mind you borrowing.
Bigger doesn’t always mean better. You might want to go big for your engagement party, but why not save it for the wedding itself?
Make sure you test any lighting you have before the night of the party. The last thing you want is duff bulbs, dead batteries or blown fuses as your guests start to arrive.
If you’ve hired a venue, ask them what kind of decor they might have that you can utilise. Consider hiring a venue with its own natural beauty to keep any decor costs to a minimum.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help – when it comes to your wedding, plenty of people can find a way to lend a hand.
Introduce personalisations in cost-effective ways, such as using decor with your initials rather than your whole name. They’ll be easier to find and likely a lot cheaper too.
Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook
After you’ve thrown the most amazing engagement party, it’s time to organise your wedding in earnest. Sign up to Bridebook today to plan your perfect big day.
It cements you as a key figure in a person’s life. After all, they’ll always remember the people who made the effort to speak at their wedding. As a result, you want to honour the couple by doing them justice, as well as delight and entertain everyone in the room.
Think of this as your chance to add an extra bit of sparkle to this extraordinary day. So, take a deep breath, stand up straight, and get ready to make this moment a cherished memory for the newlyweds.
In this post, we explore the best wedding speech ideas for each crucial person in the wedding party. That includes the traditional father of the bride, groom, and best man. We also take a peek at non-traditional wedding speeches like the bride’s speech, bridesmaid’s speech, maid of honour’s speech, and sister of the bride’s speech.
A wedding speech is a speech, toast, or dedication made during a wedding reception. They’re usually made after the wedding breakfast but before the dessert. This not only breaks up the meal nicely but also prevents the guests from getting too hungry!
Wedding speeches can be short, funny, touching, or tear-jerking and usually include anecdotes about the happy couple, some guidance on marriage, quotes about love, and a lot of thank-yous. They’re generally between 5 and 7 minutes long. However, they can be as long as necessary to get your point across.
No matter the length, every wedding speech should start with an introduction and end with a toast to the health and happiness of the newlyweds.
Here are some key elements to include in your wedding speech:
Introduce yourself. Though most people at the wedding will already know you, introducing yourself at the start of a speech is a great way to kick off the proceedings. It can help you feel more confident and set the tone of your speech.
How you met the happy couple. You can then move on to explaining how long you’ve known the newlyweds and how you met them. Are you a sister, brother, an old school friend, or partner in crime?
Loving advice. Even if you’re single, feel free to share your thoughts and advice about love. If you don’t feel confident doing this, consider using some quotes about love, shortening a wedding reading, or even using your favourite song lyrics!
Light teasing. Light teasing is to be expected during a wedding speech. It adds a touch of humour and warmth to the celebration, making everyone feel even closer to the bride and groom. However, it’s important to remember that the key word here is ‘light.’ The goal is to bring smiles, not embarrassment, to the faces of the newlyweds. If you’re not sure whether a joke will land properly, consider running it past the couple first. Alternatively, leave it out and pick another story!
A toast. Every good speech should end with a hearty toast. Raise your glass high, wish the lovebirds well, and drink to their shared future.
If you’re unsure what to include in your wedding speech, we’ve got your back. Check out our guide on wedding toast suggestions to see how your role in the celebrations will impact what you should include.
A light-hearted warning to their new partner. This type of gentle teasing should be reserved for fathers and children who share a similar sense of humour. If that’s you, you could consider warning your child’s new partner about how untidy they are, how messy their hair is in the morning, or any other unique quirks they possess. As long as the ribbing stays good-natured and light-hearted, you’re good to go.
Your pearls of wisdom. As the father of the bride, you’ll no doubt have some salient advice for your child and their new partner on their wedding day. Share what you’ve learned about love, life, and commitment on your journeys around the sun. If you’re at a loss, a poem about love never goes amiss.
Tell them how proud you are. Finally, tell the bride how proud you are of them. Tell them how you always knew they were someone special, how much you love them, and how genuinely lucky their new partner is. Trust us — there won’t be a dry eye in the room!
The groom’s speech traditionally goes second in the order of speeches. The groom’s speech should be an ode to your new partner and a big thank you to everyone who’s helped plan (and finance) your big day. Be sure to include:
A big thank you to everyone. Planning a wedding is no easy task. There’s so much to think about and so much to pay for! Every person sitting with you on your wedding day has played a part in your love story, so thank them for that. Thank your parents for all their support, thank your parent’s parents for welcoming you into their family, thank your friends, your parent’s friends, the guests, and finally, the staff of the venue. After all, without their hard work, this day wouldn’t be possible!
Tell your partner how much they mean to you. You should then turn your attention to your new partner. Tell them how beautiful they look, that you’re the luckiest person alive, and thank them for their support. Don’t be afraid to lay it on thick — everyone will love it!
Mention those who couldn’t make it. There are always people who can’t attend a wedding. Be that because they have other plans or because they’ve passed away, it’s a nice gesture to acknowledge the love and support of those who can’t be there on your big day.
Best man speeches are intended to be upbeat, funny, and memorable. Your role as the best man isn’t just to stand beside the groom on their big day, but also to share in the celebration by delivering a speech that reflects the joy of the occasion. As a result, your speech should include:
Stag-do shenanigans. This is the perfect time to share how drunk the groom was on his stag-do. Maybe share how you had them dress up as a smurf, the games you played, and the morning-after fry-up. Just remember — his family, friends, and work colleagues will all be there. So, if you’re not sure about a joke, give it a miss!
The time the groom told you about their new partner. You were likely one of the first people to hear about the groom’s new relationship. Meet-cutes or stories about when they told you their new partner was ‘the one’ always go down well. Share exactly what they told you when they decided they were going to propose, and watch the smiles light up around the room.
The adventures you’ve shared. Share some of your favourite memories from your adventures with the groom. You’ve no doubt shared a whole host of unforgettable experiences, so share those with your invited guests. Again —- keep it clean, keep it appropriate.
The bride’s speech is an untraditional but beautiful wedding speech. There’s no better feeling than taking a few minutes on your big day to share your love for your new partner and how grateful you are for everyone’s love and support throughout the process.
Because the bride’s speech is untraditional, there are no expectations! However, we recommend you include:
A toast to yourself! Wedding planning is hard. But, you’ve made it to the other side, and now you get to enjoy your big day! Raise a toast to yourself for all your hard work, planning efforts, and dedication. Your commitment to creating a beautiful and memorable wedding day is truly commendable, and it deserves to be celebrated. Cheers to you; you did it!
Thank the hidden supporters. There are a lot of hidden supporters who go into wedding prep. For example, your hairdresser, your make-up artist, your florist, your wedding planner, and many more. Thank their efforts in making you look and feel so beautiful and all the support and guidance they’ve given you along the way.
A personal story from wedding planning. There are lots of ‘behind the scenes’ moments of wedding planning that will never get the recognition they deserve. But, this is your chance! Time to share what your ‘plan B’ was in case of rain, the outfit you almost chose, or any unexpected mishaps that turned into cherished memories.
As the maid of honour, your speech should be heartfelt, personal, and reflective of your relationship with the bride. Consider including:
The couple’s love story. You’re in the fortunate position of having been able to witness the happy couple’s love story. You’ve probably been there since the very beginning, knew every detail about the proposal before it even happened, and went to every bridal fitting. Share this with the guests! They’ll want to know every detail about how the bride knew their partner was the one. Tell them about the first-date jitters, the third-date butterflies, or when they told you they’d met the one.
Meaningful lyrics. Share the bride’s favourite meaningful song lyrics as part of your speech. Not only will this act as a fun inside joke between the two of you, but it will beautifully capture the essence of the couple’s relationship.
The proposal. The proposal story is always a crowd-pleaser. You probably had the inside scoop on what was happening, so share the part you played when the question was popped. Now that the big day has arrived, you can spill the beans on the sneaky communications, how the ring size was discovered, and how they told you the news.
Bridesmaid speech ideas
Another non-traditional wedding speech, a bridesmaid’s speech could include the following:
Compliments for the bride. If you’re not sure what to include, complimenting the bride will always go down well. Compliment their choice of outfit, tell them how radiant they were walking down the aisle, or even talk about how fun the hen-do was. There are a ton of options for wedding day compliments, all of which will add warmth and love to your speech.
Support and well-wishes. If you’re at the wedding, you’ve probably already been a big support and source of guidance throughout the couple’s relationship. However, your candid advice, guidance, and dreams for their future on their big day will be well-received and can bulk out the body of your speech.
The getting-ready process. Getting ready for a wedding is one of the best parts of the day. Share all the funny stories of overflowing prosecco, eyelashes that wouldn’t stick, and the special moment you first saw the bride in their outfit.
Sister of the bride speech ideas
The sister of the bride’s speech could also be a maid of honour speech. However, it doesn’t have to be.
Instead, focus on the sister of the bride’s speech as being a loving and nostalgic toast from the bride’s oldest friend. You could include:
Stories from their childhood. You’re in the unique position of having been present during the bride’s childhood. As a result, you’ll have plenty of embarrassing stories and happy memories to share on your sister’s big day. For example, you could tell the guests about their My Little Pony obsession, how much they loved custard, or even a heartwarming memory from their first day at school. Whatever stories you decide to share, make sure they’re full of love and peppered with nostalgia.
Sibling rivalry or teasing. A hint of sibling rivalry is to be expected in a sister of the bride speech. Share how you’re the oldest, were always the tallest, and yet they beat you down this aisle!
Heartfelt admiration. Alternatively, if you’re the younger sister, flip the narrative and explain how you’ve always looked up to your big sister, and you hope to be as happy as she is one day.
Wedding speeches are a beautiful and much-anticipated part of the big day. Being asked to make a speech or wedding toast is a big honour, and you should take it as your opportunity to sing the praises of the happy couple. After all, they’ve trusted you with part of the biggest day of their lives!
The bottom line on wedding speeches is that they should be fun, engaging, and heartfelt. Your words should reflect the love, joy, and uniqueness of the couple, as well as the special relationship you share. It’s your chance to contribute to their big day, make the audience laugh or shed a tear, and leave a lasting impression on this wonderful occasion.
So, whether you’re a traditional speech maker like the best man, or non-traditional like the sister of the bride, remember to stand up straight, smile, and always end with a toast. If you’re not sure where to start, we have a whole host of wedding speech examples to inspire you. Plus, you can find everything you need to know about wedding speech length, wedding speech order, and speech delivery tips through our handy blog posts.
If writing a wedding speech wasn’t stressful enough, now you’ve been asked to make it funny!
Writing a genuinely entertaining wedding speech can be tough. If you get it right, it will leave guests in fits of giggles and ensure your speech is a memorable highlight of the big day. But if you get it wrong, you might be left with crickets chirping and awkward glances all around.
Though writing a funny wedding speech can feel like a daunting task, we’re here to reassure you that all it takes is the right structure, a few well-timed jokes, and a lot of love to write a funny wedding speech!
So, whether you’re the father of the bride, groom, best man, maid of honour, or a non-traditional speech-maker, we’re here to guide you in crafting a funny wedding speech that strikes the perfect balance between humour and sentiment. Read on to learn the structure and some top tips.
A funny wedding speech is a speech given during a wedding reception with the intention of making the guests laugh. To make your wedding speech funny, you can include jokes, anecdotes about the newlyweds, funny quotes or poems, or even use light-hearted teasing. Remember, any teasing should always be in good faith and with the express permission of the couple.
The best thing about funny wedding speeches is that they’re generally short – it can be difficult to write a long wedding speech with good comedic timing. Plus, a short wedding speech tends to hold the audience’s attention better and leave a lasting impression. Try to keep a funny wedding speech between 3-5 minutes long and focus on the quality of stories over the quantity of stories.
The first step of any good wedding speech should always be an introduction. Standing up and letting everyone know who you are and your role in the wedding will help you feel more confident and open up the speech in a professional way.
You might also consider explaining your relationship to the couple while slipping in a joke or two. For example:
“Hey, everyone. My name is Sophie, the bride’s much, much younger sister”.
“Hi guys, thanks for joining us here today. I’m Jack, the best man and worst influence here today!”
Remember, any jokes should always be tasteful and appropriate for the guests. If you’re unsure, run the jokes you’re considering telling past the couple first to get their approval. This way, you can change your speech accordingly before the big day, and no one will be offended!
Tasteful jokes and one-liners
You can then move on to including some funny jokes and one-liners into your speech. These can be related to love, marriage, or even your relationship to the couple. Humour should be light-hearted, which means no making fun of anything personal or crossing any boundaries.
Pay close attention to your comedic timing, as well as allow time in between the jokes for people to laugh. Otherwise, they might miss the next joke, which could derail your speech!
Funny anecdotes
You should then move on to sharing a funny story about the newlyweds. You’re in the unique position of being a pivotal person in their life. As a result, you’ll have a ton of funny stories or entertaining anecdotes to draw upon. This is your chance to highlight the couple’s true personality and show them the moments that have defined your relationship.
Sentimental memories
Once the laughs have come to a natural end, it’s time to close the speech with some special and sentimental memories that you’ve shared with the couple. For example, the first time you met your bestie’s new partner, a story about how the couple met and the role you played, or even a heartwarming story from their wedding planning.
Whatever you choose to share, it should be a loving and sentimental moment that naturally follows the laughter and highlights how special this day is.
Toast
No good speech is complete without a toast. The final step of your speech-making should be to raise your glass of fizz high, make one final wish or blessing to the couple, and ask the guests to join you in a toast.
Top tips for writing a funny wedding speech
If you’re not sure, then don’t say it
Knowing your audience is a crucial part of writing a funny wedding speech. Consider what types of jokes are appropriate for your guests. For example, are there a lot of elderly family members attending, or is it a service bound by religion? If so, you may want to omit the more risqué or edgy humour.
Remember, if you’re not sure whether a joke will land as intended, it’s better not to say it.
Practice makes perfect
Practicing your speech ahead of the big day will help you feel more confident and prepared. Try practicing in front of a mirror, with a trusted friend, or even by recording yourself to watch back. Though this may feel uncomfortable, it’s a great way to work on comedic timing and understand how your speech will come across to audiences.
Consider your role in the wedding
The role you play in the wedding will change the nature of your speech. For example:
Funnymaid of honour speeches usually include stories about wedding planning, hen-do shenanigans, and stories about the bride.
Funny bridesmaid speeches will also include hen-do tales and stories about the bride. However, they will probably place less emphasis on wedding planning as bridesmaids aren’t usually involved in that.
Funny best man speeches might include light-hearted teasing, stag-do stories, or any anecdotes from how you met the groom.
Funny father of the bride speeches are a great opportunity to let the groom know exactly what he’s in for! For example, how untidy the bride is, how moody she is in the morning, or any other quirks.
Have a backup plan
If things start going wrong or the jokes aren’t landing the way you expected, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan. This could mean writing a second short, non-funny speech to fall back on in case your first speech goes pear-shaped.
The bottom line on funny wedding speeches
Writing a funny wedding speech is no simple task. You need to consider comedic timing, the appropriateness of jokes, the length of the speech, and your relationship to the bride or groom. But when done right, funny wedding speeches are a fantastic way to add joy and laughter to the celebration while celebrating the couple’s love. If well-executed, they can become a special and memorable part of the big day. That’s why being well-prepared is essential.
However, writing a funny wedding speech isn’t just about making people laugh. It’s also about highlighting the special relationship you share with the couple, having fun, and reminding the guests about the little quirks that make everyone love the newlyweds so much.
If you’re struggling with where to start, we have a ton of examples of fun and interesting wedding speeches, including the traditional groom’s speech or best man’s speech, plus guidance on writing a short speech if you’re looking to keep it brief. There’s no time like the present, so get started on writing your funny wedding speech today!
Wedding speeches are surely the highlight of the wedding reception. They have the power to make a room roar with laughter or bring a tear to every eye.
However, crafting the perfect beginning and ending to your wedding speech can be tricky. The opening is your first impression, and you want it to be memorable for all the right reasons. On the flip side, nailing the conclusion to a speech means guests will remember it for years to come. Nervous about getting it right? Don’t be. We’ve got your back.
In this post, we discuss the ins and outs of how to start and end a wedding speech. We talk about what you could use to kick off your wedding day toasts and how to end a wedding speech in a genuine and memorable way. Ready to start? Let’s dive in.
A wedding speech, also known as a wedding toast, is a heartfelt dedication to the newlyweds on their big day. Wedding speeches usually follow a specific speech order, and are traditionally made by the father of the bride, the groom, and the best man. However, as it’s your big day, you can ask anyone you’d like to make a speech and have them in any order you prefer!
The wedding speeches usually last around half an hour during the wedding reception. This happens after the main course has been eaten but before dessert is served. Guests usually have a glass of prosecco, champagne, or a non-alcoholic fizzy drink to toast the happy couple.
The opening of your wedding speech or toast will engage your audience, set the tone for what’s to come, and create an emotional connection between you and the audience. But it can also be the hardest part to write as there’s a lot of pressure to get it right.
But don’t let that overwhelm you! Remember that your opening should reflect your genuine feelings for the couple and your joy to participate in their special day. Speak from the heart, and you won’t go far wrong. If you’re still feeling unsure about how to open your wedding speech, check out our guidance on great wedding speech openings.
Introduce yourself
Introducing yourself to the guests is the standard and accepted way to start a speech. It lets everyone know who you are, your relationship to the couple, and sets the stage for the rest of your speech.
It may feel silly to introduce yourself, especially if a lot of people there know who you are. However, it’s a great way to start a speech and will help you feel more confident, so even if the groom is your brother and you’ve known the bride forever, let everyone know who you are and your role in the big day by introducing yourself.
Start with a quote or compliment
If you’re feeling stuck about where to go next, a quote about love, a compliment to the beautiful bride, or a comment on the gorgeous venue are all solid options. A well-chosen quote can add depth and wisdom to your speech, while a sincere compliment will bring a smile to the bride’s face or show your appreciation for all the work that went into planning the wedding. Either way, these opening elements will set a positive tone for your speech and make the audience more receptive to your words.
Use a funny story or anecdote
If you’re feeling confident, a funny story or anecdote about your relationship to the bride or groom is a great way to open your speech. It not only adds a touch of humour and light-heartedness to the atmosphere, but also instantly connects you with the audience through shared laughter.
But remember that humor can be a double-edged sword, so be sure to keep it light, respectful, and in good taste. The goal is to make the audience smile, not cringe. If your joke is a little risqué, consider running it past the bride or groom first to ensure they’re okay with it.
Say thank you to everyone present
If all else fails, say thank you to everyone present. Thank you to the couple for inviting you to their special day, thank you to the venue staff who have worked so hard to make it all possible, and thank you to everyone else for coming. Everyone likes it when their contributions and efforts are acknowledged, so thanking the wedding party and staff and guests is a fool-proof speech opener.
Often, the only part of a speech the guests remember is the beginning and end. You’ve nailed the opening, and now it’s time to wrap up on a positive note. Try using the below tips to help you craft a memorable conclusion to your wedding toast.
Recap your key messages
A great way to round up your wedding speech is to recap the message from the body of your speech. This reinforces the central point you wanted to convey and leaves a lasting impression.
For example, if your speech was all about how perfect the happy couple is for each other, consider rounding off with, “We can all see how happy [couples’ names] make each other, and if I find a love that’s half as perfect as theirs, I’ll be a lucky, lucky person.”
This reiteration brings your speech full circle and highlights the love and happiness that radiates from the newlyweds. This will leave a heartfelt and enduring message to share with everyone.
Share your advice and thoughts
You could also round off your speech by giving your thoughts on love and marriage and any advice you may have for the newlyweds. If you aren’t in a position to offer any advice, a quote about love, a wedding reading, or a line from a song are also great ways to end your speech.
This approach not only imparts wisdom and reflection, but also serves as a thoughtful and fitting conclusion to your wedding speech.
End on a positive note
As with any part of a wedding speech, end on a positive note. This could be a final blessing, one last thank you, or even a warm smile. You’ve done the hard part; all that’s left is to seal the speech with a final dose of love and warmth.
Cheers to the couple
The best part of any speech— it’s time to raise your glasses of fizz to the sky and toast the happy couple. Invite the rest of your guests to join you in a toast to the happy couple’s good fortune and good health. Cheers!
Wedding speeches can be tricky to get right, and the beginning and end of a speech are arguably the hardest parts to nail. But with careful planning, heartfelt sentiments, and hearty cheers at the end, you can create a wedding speech that not only engages your audience, but also leaves a lasting impact on the newlyweds and their special day.
Remember, you can never go far wrong with a friendly introduction, plenty of thank-yous, a quick quote about love, and ending with a big smile and a toast. These simple elements will go a long way in creating a wedding speech that truly shines.
If you’re still sitting there wondering how to start your own wedding speech, or how to end it, we’ve got plenty of fabulous wedding speech examples right here on Bridebook. We have brilliant examples of father of the bride, groom, best man and maid of honour speeches that will knock your socks off!
Making a speech at a wedding reception is your opportunity to tell all the guests how happy you are for the newlyweds. It’s your time to thank the guests, share your thoughts about love, and celebrate this fabulous union.
But imagine you’re halfway through writing the wedding speech, and you’re told to “keep it short.” “Lots of people are making speeches,” they say. Or even, “We’d rather get to the puddings!” Now, suddenly, you need to condense your witty, tear-jerking 7-minute speech into a short 3 minutes! How do you cut down a wedding speech where everything feels important?
Crafting a short wedding speech that packs a punch can be challenging. However, with some handy examples, expert guidance, and a lot of love, you’ll quickly find yourself writing a speech for a wedding that’s both short and memorable. Read on to learn the benefits of a short wedding speech, some examples of short wedding speeches, and the key elements you absolutely need to include.
Wedding speeches are generally between 5-7 minutes long. However, they can be as long or as short as necessary. If there are a lot of speeches to make or the couple have specifically requested that the speeches be kept short, you should aim to wrap up your speech up in 2-4 minutes.
Though this might sound challenging, remember that the impact of your speech isn’t related to its length— it’s better to speak from the heart for 3 minutes than it is to waffle on for 15! Keep the spotlight on the newlyweds, stay upbeat, and always finish with a celebratory toast to the couple on their big day.
There are plenty of benefits to keeping a speech for a wedding short and sweet. These include:
Minimises stress. Lengthy speeches can be nerve-wracking, especially in front of a large audience. Keeping the speeches short minimises the time you have to stand up and say your piece. Plus, shorter speeches are easier to memorise and easier to present.
Keeps guests engaged. Short speeches are more likely to capture guests’ attention and ensure a good flow to the order of speeches. Guests may get bored listening to three 10-minute speeches. However, six 5-minute speeches will feel more dynamic and keep guests engaged.
Encourages thoughtful content. Asking the wedding party to keep their speeches short encourages them to think about what they’re including in their speech and be selective in their storytelling.
Leaves more time for other speakers. The main benefit of short wedding speeches is that they leave plenty of time for other speakers. Generally, thefather of the bride, groom, and best manmake speeches during the reception. However, keeping these speeches short means that groomsmen, bridesmaids, the maid of honour, and the bride can also make speeches at the reception.
Key elements of short wedding speeches
Use this template to keep your speech simple and concise
The easiest way to keep a wedding speech short is to focus on a few key elements. We recommend you stick to the following:
Introduce yourself
A warm and engaging introduction is a great way to open a wedding speech. Let the guests know your name, your relationship to the newlyweds, and how honoured you feel to be making a speech on their big day.
Thank everyone for coming
In a typical wedding speech, you would take time to thank the people who contributed to organising the big day. For example, the couple’s family, the wedding party, the guests, and even the venue staff. However, in a time crunch, focus on saying one big thank you to everyone and acknowledging their collective efforts in making this day possible.
Address the happy couple
You should then speak directly to the happy couple. You could share how you first met the newlyweds, a funny story about wedding planning, or a touching moment that made you realise the depth of their love for each other. These stories are always a crowd-pleaser, and as a friend of the newlyweds, you’re in a unique position to share these special moments. Plus, this section will set the stage for the next portion of your speech.
Share a hope or wish for the future
Sharing a hope or wish for the couple’s future is a touching way to share your love and support on their big day. You could wish them a lifetime of love and happiness, share a quote about love, a short poem or song lyric, or even say you hope they enjoy the honeymoon! Any positive and loving sentiment that resonates with the couple will be a perfect way to wrap up your speech.
Toast
And finally, a toast! Invite the other guests to raise their glass of bubbles to a lifetime of love and happiness. Greet the couple by their names, raise your glass high, and then take a sip to conclude a short but sweet wedding speech.
If you’re looking for a little inspiration to guide you on your way, check out the short wedding speech examples below, which you can adapt use as templates to guide your writing. Feel free to personalise them with your own unique stories and anecdotes, and adjust the pronouns for an LGBTQ+ wedding.
“Hello, everyone, I’m [your name], the luckiest groom on the planet. Thank you all for being here, sharing in our joy today. I remember when [partner’s name] and I met, it was like fate had a plan. From that day forward, my life became brighter. May our love continue to grow, and may our adventures never end. Here’s to [partner’s name], my forever love and other half. And here’s to a lifetime of laughter, love and endless happiness. Cheers!”
“Hi, everyone, I’m [your name], and I’m the bride who can’t stop smiling. Thank you all for being here and making this day so fabulous. I’ll never forget the moment [partner’s name] walked into my life. He’s brought endless love and laughter. May our love story continue to be this beautiful adventure. Here’s to us and a lifetime of happiness. To [partner’s name], my love and my best friend, and to a future filled with fun, love and endless joy. Cheers!”
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m [your name], and today I have the honour of being the father of the bride. Thank you all for coming and sharing in this special day. Seeing [bride’s name] and [groom’s name] together, I know their love is stronger than ever. May your journey together be filled with love, laughter and countless beautiful moments. To [bride’s name] and [groom’s name], may your love continue to grow, and your days be filled with happiness. Cheers!”
“Hey, everyone, I’m [your name], the best man and the guy who’s seen it all. Thank you all for being here to celebrate with [groom’s name] and [bride’s name]. I’ve seen [groom’s name] and [bride’s name] go from ‘I do’ to ‘We will.’ It’s been a wild ride! May your love be as enduring as [groom’s name]’s jokes and as beautiful as [bride’s name]’s smile. To [groom’s name] and [bride’s name], here’s to a lifetime of love, adventure and unforgettable memories. Cheers!”
“Hello, everyone, I’m [your name], the maid of honour and [bride’s name]’s partner in crime. Thank you for joining us today to celebrate [bride’s name] and [groom’s name]’s love. I’ve watched [bride’s name] and [groom’s name] turn ordinary moments into extraordinary memories. May your love story be filled with as much joy as today and as many adventures as you can dream. To [bride’s name] and [groom’s name], may your love shine brighter with each passing day. Cheers!”
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m [your name], [bride’s name]’s proud mother. Thank you for being here to celebrate this special day with us. Seeing [bride’s name] and [groom’s name] together fills my heart with joy. Their love is a treasure. May the journey [bride’s name] and [groom’s name] embark upon be filled with love, laughter and countless cherished moments. To [bride’s name] and [groom’s name], may your love story be a source of inspiration for us all. Cheers!”
Short wedding speeches balance sharing a sincere or witty message during the wedding reception and effective time management. Though it can be tricky to condense everything you want to say into a short 3-5 minutes, this challenge can produce speeches that are poignant, memorable, and filled with genuine emotion (and likely a dash of humour and wit as well!).
Instead of focusing on everything you’d like to say, we encourage you to stick to the basics — introduce yourself, broadly thank everyone for their contributions, tell the newlyweds how happy you are for them, and wrap up with well-wishes and a toast.
A wedding speech doesn’t have to be long to be great, and it’s better to keep your speech brief and memorable than to risk losing the guests’ attention. This is true whether you’re going for a sweet and sentimental touch, or want something funny and entertaining.
But if you’re still struggling with where to start, we’ve got plenty of brilliant wedding speech examples to inspire you, from the traditional groom’s speech to the slightly less conventional mother of the bride speech. You’ll be writing a short wedding speech that packs a punch in no time!
When your fiance gets down on one knee and asks you the question, which finger do you present them with so they can give you your gorgeous new ring? Or if you’re the one proposing, how do you know which is the right finger? The last thing you want to do at that moment is place the ring on the wrong one.
When it comes to which finger is the right one for an engagement ring, there are actually a lot of questions that surround it. Why is that finger on that hand commonly used in some countries but not others? Why is it usually that finger? Do you have to wear the wedding ring on the same finger as the engagement ring or can they be worn separately?
The great thing is, just like your marriage itself, there are no set rules when it comes to your engagement ring. But there are traditions you might want to stick to. So how do you know what’s right for you?
In this post, we’re going to take a look at everything to do with wearing an engagement ring. We’ll go over the history, which countries traditionally wear an engagement ring on different hands and what you can do if you’re just not that into wearing a wedding ring.
The ring finger is the name given to the finger where you would traditionally wear your wedding and/or engagement ring, which is the finger beside your little finger on your left hand (in the UK). So commonly are rings worn on this finger that it has been named with this in mind. There’s even evidence of hieroglyphics wearing a ring on this finger to symbolise love and marriage.
In ancient times, it was believed that this finger had a vein that ran directly to the heart. That way, when both halves of a couple wear a ring it forever connects the two hearts. While we know a lot more about the human body these days, this wedding tradition is easily the one that has withstood the tests of time the longest.
In the UK, it’s traditional to wear an engagement ring on the left hand. This is the same as the wedding ring once you and your partner get married. That being said, which hand you traditionally wear an engagement ring on can vary depending on where you are in the world.
Which countries wear an engagement ring on their left hand?
Countries where people wear wedding and engagement rings on their left hand include:
UK
USA
Austria
France
Germany
Sweden
Czech Republic
Romania
Portugal
Turkey
Ireland
Which countries wear an engagement ring on their right hand?
Countries where people wear wedding and engagement rings on their right hand include:
Spain
Russia
Switzerland
Greece
India
Norway
Denmark
Colombia
Bulgaria
Belgium
Poland
Which is the right finger to wear an engagement ring on?
As we’ve already covered, the right finger to wear your engagement ring on is the ring finger on either your left or right hand (depending on where you live). But, the right finger for you is something else entirely.
Yes, you can wear your engagement ring on any finger you choose – you might even want to wear it on your thumb if that’s something that appeals to you. Wearing a ring on the ring finger has been a tradition since ancient Greek and Roman times, but traditions aren’t for everyone – if that includes you, then just wear your ring on any finger you like.
Do you wear your engagement ring on the same hand and finger as your wedding ring?
Many people choose to wear their engagement ring on the same hand and finger as their wedding ring, but again, whether you choose to do this or not is entirely up to you. There are plenty of variations you can go for, such as:
Wear your engagement ring and wedding ring on the same finger
Wear your engagement ring and wedding ring on the same hand but on different fingers
Wear your engagement ring on the ring finger of your left hand and wedding ring on the ring finger of your right hand (or vice versa)
You might even choose to wear both rings on different hands and on different fingers. Whatever you feel comfortable with and makes you happy is exactly the combination you should go for.
Can you wear your engagement ring and wedding ring every day?
Many couples choose to wear their wedding rings and engagement rings every day as it helps them feel close to their partner even when they’re apart.
Couples spend an average of £1,000 on their wedding rings and £1,978 on an engagement ring. This is often more than enough to ensure a high-quality metal, such as platinum or gold, which is super durable and can withstand lots of wear and tear. Over time your rings will suffer minor scuffs and scrapes – unfortunately, it’s unavoidable with any type of jewellery you might wear. If this is a concern, you might not want to wear them constantly, but for many, it’s worth it to ensure they always have that close connection to their spouse.
One thing some couples do is take off their rings when they get home and store them somewhere safe until they’re ready to leave the house again. This can slow some of the wear and tear – just make sure you always keep your rings in the same spot so you don’t have a moment of panic when you forget where you put them.
If you have a promise ring, should you wear this alongside your engagement ring and wedding ring? There are two common options for couples who have promise rings:
Switch the promise ring for the engagement ring
Wear each ring on the same finger
Wear the promise ring on a different finger
There’s nothing wrong with wearing all three rings on the same finger, but if you have too many rings (especially if they’re thick or have larger stones) you may find it gets a little crowded. It’s not exactly comfortable if you have a ring too close to the knuckle, so whatever you choose to do make sure you can bend your finger and it’s not too restrictive.
Can you wear your engagement ring and wedding ring on different fingers?
Yes, however you like to wear your engagement ring and wedding ring is entirely up to you. While the tradition is to wear them together on the ring finger, that doesn’t mean it’s something you have to stick to. Wearing a ring is hugely personal, and what it represents is between you and your partner. So what if someone looks at your hand and doesn’t realise you’re married or engaged just because you wear your rings on different fingers? You do you and don’t let anyone else influence your decision.
Which ring goes on first, the engagement ring or the wedding ring?
Traditionally, once you’re married you would wear your wedding ring first, then your engagement ring. That way, your wedding ring is closer to your heart.
But, just like with every tradition we’ve covered in this article, it’s not something you should feel obliged to stick to.
Do you have to wear an engagement ring or wedding ring to get married?
No, there’s no kind of law that states you have to wear a ring when you’re married. It’s a symbolic gesture that shows your love and commitment to one another. But, if you don’t like to wear rings, you don’t have the budget or you’re not a fan of jewellery in general, it’s absolutely fine if you choose not to wear a wedding or engagement ring at all.
If you’re not sure you want to wear a ring, read our post on wedding ring alternatives for a little inspiration.
To make sure your wedding and engagement rings are the right size and fit comfortably on your finger, it’s important to get the finger you intend to wear your ring on measured. This has to be done accurately if you want to prevent your ring from being too tight or, even worse, slipping off and getting lost.
There are several ways you can measure your ring finger:
Wrap a piece of string or tape around your finger and mark where it meets with a pen, which you can then measure with a ruler.
You can buy a ring sizer for around £5 from Amazon.
Your local jewellery store can do this for you.
Use a printable ring sizer.
What do jewellery experts say about which finger to wear your engagement ring and wedding ring on?
When it comes to choosing the finger for your engagement ring and wedding ring, we spoke to Ruby McGonigle from Lebrusan Studio, a leading London-based ethical jewellery designer. Ruby recommends the following flexible approach:
“Your sentimental rings don’t need to mirror your partner’s in metal or design, nor do they need to be worn on your left ring finger. Many European nations – including Norway, Germany, Denmark, Latvia, Poland and Spain – look to the right hand as the ideal spot for the engagement ring and wedding band. This is because it’s used for oaths and vows, inherently symbolising honour and trust.
Though many people enjoy wearing their engagement rings and wedding bands together on the same finger in a unique stack, there’s no rule that states this is a must. Your engagement ring, wedding band and commitment rings are precious pieces of jewellery, and if you don’t fancy forcing them to share space then the freedom is yours to wear them however and whenever you like! For practical reasons, some opt only to wear their engagement ring on special occasions. Others might wish to secure it a special everyday spot over on the right ring finger once the wedding band comes along. Some might not wear their rings on their fingers at all, but instead hang them with pride on a necklace.
All in all, just like your unique love story, the choice is all yours.”
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Right now, you might be in the middle of planning the biggest party of your lives in the form of your wedding, which will be a brilliant way to celebrate your marriage with your loved ones. But, just because you’re focused on that, don’t forget it’s also important to celebrate your engagement. And you’ll no doubt have plenty of family and friends who’ll be excited to come together to enjoy some good food, a few drinks and play some games to mark such a fantastic milestone in your lives.
But, how do you plan an engagement party, who do you invite, and what theme should you choose? Do you tie it into the wedding or should it have its own theme? There are so many questions it can be tricky to work out what’s right for you.
In this post, we’re here to offer you plenty of tips and advice for planning the perfect engagement party. We’ll answer the most common questions, offer you some creative party ideas and give you a step-by-step guide for what to do when planning your engagement party.
After your engagement, an engagement party probably isn’t right at the top of your list of priorities, but if it’s something you’re keen to do then you shouldn’t leave it too long. When you have your party you should still be riding the high of the engagement itself, and definitely not have it too close to the actual wedding. Anything between two and four months after your engagement is usually a great time to have a party. Any longer and you’ll probably be in the thick of wedding planning and the engagement will be slowly pushed to the back of your mind.
Traditionally, anything to do with the engagement itself – including the engagement photos and engagement party – are paid for by the bride’s family. But, of course, there are plenty of reasons why you might not want to stick to traditions.
Who you invite to your engagement party is entirely up to you. If you want a big, sprawling celebration, it’s absolutely fine to invite your family, friends, co-workers, neighbours and even your orthodontist if you wish. Or, you might want to keep things small and intimate, inviting close family and any future members of your wedding party. It all depends on you and your preferences.
But, one important thing to remember is that generally, whoever gets an invite to the engagement party will probably expect an invite to the actual wedding. So, if you don’t want your distant cousins at your wedding, you’re best off not inviting them to your engagement party.
How much your engagement party costs depends entirely on your preferences and how many people you invite. Naturally, the grander your choices are, and the more people you ask to come, the more expensive it’ll be. It might be tempting to throw a huge and extravagant soirée, but remember you’ll soon spend thousands on a wedding. In the UK, the average amount couples spend on their big day is £19,184, so spending thousands or even hundreds on a second party might stretch your budget a little too thin.
If you’re happy to host your engagement party at home or at the home of one of your parents, you can throw a party for as little as a couple hundred pounds. If you’re looking to hire a venue, as well as a DJ and caterer, it might cost a few thousand.
The great thing about an engagement party is that no one goes to one with any kind of expectations. Your party can be as formal or as casual as you like, so whether you want a four-course meal in a fancy restaurant or a few drinks and games at home with pals, any option is absolutely fine.
So, you’ve decided to throw an engagement party to celebrate the engagement of you and your fiance before you get stuck right into the fun and thrills of planning. But, where do you start? How do you choose where to have it, when to have it and who to invite? Follow our step-by-step guide below to make sure you cover all bases when planning your big engagement bash.
Step 1: Set your budget
By this point, you’ve probably had a serious think about your finances and what you want to spend on your wedding. If not, make a start on this as soon as you can, such as by using our simple wedding budget planner. That way, you’ll know how much of your budget you can spare towards your engagement party and whether you can go all out or host a far more informal do.
Step 2: Think about the size of your party
Do you want a big party or a more intimate get-together with your very closest family and friends? Once you know how big you’d like to go, you can think about whether to have the party at home, at the home of one of your parents or at a venue like a restaurant, hotel or function space.
Step 3: Decide on a date
Next, choose the date you’d like to have your engagement party on, bearing in mind that if you want to have it in a week or two, many of your guests might already have plans. If you book it for in four or six weeks’ time, more guests should be available, plus you’ll find it easier to secure a venue if you’re not having your party at home.
Step 4: Secure your venue
If you’re hosting your party at home or at the home of a family member, you won’t have to worry about this step, but if you’re looking to have your party accommodate more guests, start your search as soon as possible. You’re more than likely going to want to have your engagement party on a Friday or Saturday night, which is when other people will want to use venues for parties of their own. If you’re lucky, you might be able to grab a bargain by booking a venue with a cancellation.
Browse our comprehensive range of venues to find a fantastic location to host your engagement party. There are also plenty of venues that offer much lower rates if you take advantage of a cancellation.
Step 5: Create your guest list
At this point, you’ll know roughly how many guests you’d like to invite to your engagement party. Is it less than 20, more than 80, somewhere in between or even more?
Step 6: Pick your theme and style
Once you know where you’re hosting your party and how many guests you hope will be there, you can think about the type of party you want to throw. Will it be an afternoon barbecue in the garden, a pizza picnic in the park, or a huge blowout with drinks and dancing at a countryside hotel?
Step 7: Send invitations
Once you know the whos, wheres and whens, you can send out your invitations, remembering to give your guests at least a month’s notice. Invitations to your engagement party don’t always need to be quite as formal as the wedding itself – in all honesty, even a text might do if it’s super informal. Just make sure you keep a note of who you’ve asked and whether or not they’ve said they’ll come.
Step 8: Think about the food and drink
The food you offer will depend entirely on the style of your party, the number of guests and where it’s being hosted. If it’s at a restaurant, they can take care of the food. If it’s at home, are you going to hire a caterer or bust out your Costco card and do it yourself? Just make sure you think about all dietary requirements.
Of course, this is if you choose to offer food at all. If it’s only a get-together for drinks and games, just a few choice nibbles will do the trick.
If you’re not supplying alcoholic drinks, make sure your guests know to BYOB when you invite them. As it’s an engagement party, there will likely be a toast or two to mark the occasion – so you may want to keep a few bottles of fizz in the fridge so your guests can raise a glass to mark such a special occasion. But don’t forget a non-alcoholic version for the young ones and those who don’t drink.
Step 9: Think about the decor
You might not want to go all out with decorations, but it is a celebration after all, so a few balloons, flowers and bunting will remind your guests why they’re there. If you’ve already spoken to florists about your wedding flowers, see if they’ll do you a deal to put together a couple of custom arrangements to mark the occasion.
Step 10: Book your entertainment
Depending on your budget, preferences and venue, you might want to hire entertainment to get your guests in the party mood. This could be a DJ or live band if you’re partying through the night, or a kids’ entertainer or bouncy castle if you’re having it outdoors. Or, you might want to save some money and simply stick to a Spotify playlist.
Step 11: Pick your outfit
What you wear will be influenced by the style and formality of your party. If it’s a summery afternoon barbecue, a dress or polo shirt and shorts should be fine. If it’s a three-course sit-down meal, you might want to dress up a little. Make the call based on what you have planned – just remember to let your guests know in the invite if they should wear anything specific.
Step 12: Prepare to give a speech
As with other parts of your wedding, there are likely to be speeches at your engagement party. This could be anyone, such as the party host, your parents, siblings, friends or even you. You don’t have to say much – just thank your guests for being there to celebrate this special time with you.
Step 13: To hire a photographer or not to hire a photographer
Some couples love to document the various stages of their engagement, and you could arrange a package deal with your wedding photographer to take photos at your engagement party too. This depends on the scale and formality of your party – for example, you might not want a photographer if you’re having a movie night at home. But, if you’re going for something a little more extravagant, a photographer will capture many of the night’s great moments.
Step 14: Think about your favours
You may be planning favours for your wedding, but you might also want to give the guests attending your engagement party a token gift too. It certainly doesn’t need to be anything too big – a magnet, some sweets, or a hot chocolate kit are more than enough if you choose to give anything at all.
Step 15: Enjoy the party
After all that prep and build-up, the time has finally come for the party. You’ll no doubt focus on making sure your guests have a great time, but it’s also important to take some time to enjoy it yourself. Your guests are there to celebrate your good news, so make sure you have fun and soak up all the love.
Step 16: Thank your guests for coming
After the party, you could send out thank you cards to each of your guests to show your appreciation that they came. At the very least you’ll probably want to send thank you cards to any guests who gave you a gift. Not everyone who attends your engagement party will, but don’t be surprised if you receive a couple of gifts from one or two attendees.
Now you know how to plan an engagement party, how about some inspiration for what to do for themes, locations, food and more? Below are 75 engagement party ideas so you can throw the perfect celebratory bash.
Engagement party theme ideas
When it comes to a theme, the world’s your oyster. You could go smart and sophisticated, a garden barbecue, or tie it into the overall theme of your wedding. Here are 10 ideas for engagement party themes.
Romantic garden party – Twinkling lights and gentle music while surrounded by beautiful gardens.
Casino night – Crack out the cards, roll the dice and put it all on red. Casino games are fun, exciting and a great way to get your guests betting on your happiness.
Fairground – What’s more fun than the fairground? You could have a carousel-themed cake and a hook-a-duck game where the prize is gummy fish in boozy jellies.
Hollywood premiere – Roll out the red carpet for a Hollywood movie premiere theme full of glitz and glamour.
Globetrotter – Fill your venue with maps and globes and serve a selection of dishes and nibbles from around the world. You can even tie it into the places the two of you have visited together.
Beach blowout – Sandcastles, ice cream and volleyball are a fun and relaxing way to celebrate.
Cheese and wine – For something a little classier, you could pick up a selection of wines from around the world and pair them with some delicious cheeses – the stinkier the better.
Movie night – Put together a selection of your favourite movies, grab some popcorn and nachos, and settle down to watch some great flicks together.
Fairytale – Everyone loves a good fairytale, with plenty of whimsical options for food, drink and decorations.
Retro – Love an 80s disco or a bit of 50s rock and roll? Retro-themed parties never go out of fashion.
Not quite sure about the best location for your engagement party? Where you choose depends on your budget and the number of guests you’d like to invite, but there’s a wide range of choices out there that are great for hosting parties. Here are just 10 location ideas for you to consider:
At your home or the home of a close relative
A back garden (with a plan B if the weather doesn’t behave)
Beach or lakeside
Gardens or park
A restaurant or pub
Hotel
Rooftop bar
Canal boat
Rental property like an Airbnb (that allows parties)
Golf club
Engagement party food ideas
If you’re providing your guests with food, what to serve them is often one of the most difficult choices. Do you serve a three- or four-course meal or put on a buffet and allow your guests to help themselves? Here are just a few mouthwatering ideas.
Pizza party
Mexican food
Brunch
Omelette station
Build your own nachos and tacos
Sandwiches, sausage rolls and other cold buffet items
Sushi
Salad bar
Dessert table
Food trucks
Engagement party cake ideas
You might want to save the cake for the wedding itself, but there’s nothing quite as crowd-pleasing as a beautiful cake. If you want to offer your guests a slice, here are a few ideas to get you started:
Classic multi-tiered cake
Naked cake
Victoria sponge cake
Selection of cupcakes
Supermarket cake
Retro cakes
Floral decorated cake
Piñata cake
Novelty cake
Dripping cake
Engagement party game ideas
Games are a great way to entertain your guests and get everyone talking and laughing. Here are 10 of the best engagement party games to lighten the mood:
Couples quiz – Test each couple to see how much they really know each other.
Pictionary – Play a game of Pictionary with all the answers being wedding-related.
Trivia – Put together trivia questions related to the two of you and your journey to engagement.
Guess the year – Put together an album of photos from your past and ask guests to guess the year they were taken.
Karaoke – Once your guests have had a few drinks, why not crack out the karaoke and belt out a couple of numbers?
Ring hunt – Hide some wedding rings around the venue and those who find them throughout the evening win a small prize.
Ring toss – Throw some oversized wedding rings onto bottles and total up the score.
Photo booth – Hire a photo booth, put together a selection of props and encourage your guests to get creative with a photo session.
Two truths and a lie – Ask your guests to name two truths and a lie and guess which one is the lie.
Cocktail making – Create a delicious (and not too boozy) cocktail to tempt those taste buds. See which guests can create the most delicious drink of the night.
Engagement party decor ideas
Throwing an engagement party might call for a few extra decorations to make sure your venue pops. Here are some suggestions for brilliant engagement party decorations:
Floral arrangements
Homemade bunting
A photo collage of the two of you
Balloons
Fairy lights
Candles
Themed table numbers and name cards
A custom welcome sign
A printout or canvas featuring your favourite photo from your engagement photoshoot
Themed postbox for cards
Engagement party favour ideas
Gifting your guests a small party favour is a lovely and thoughtful way to let them know that you appreciate them attending your engagement party. Here are just a few ideas that will suit a variety of budgets:
Retro sweets
Hot chocolate kit
Bubbles
Marshmallows
Personalised magnets
Wildflower seeds
Tote bags
Homemade jam
Mini bath bomb
A charity donation
Simple engagement party ideas
Looking to keep your engagement party simple and not break the bank, but still conscious that you want people to have a great time? Keep things easy with these party ideas:
Summer BBQ – Pick up a few burgers, sausages and veggie kebabs and light the barbecue to cook up a storm.
Function space – Have a word with the landlord at your local to arrange to use a small function space so you and your loved ones can enjoy a few drinks.
Brunch – You don’t need to party into the night, some salmon and scrambled eggs washed down with a Buck’s fizz will do the trick.
Ice cream social – Why not hire an ice cream van or shop for a selection of ice cream flavours and toppings and let your guests go crazy?
House party – Host a no-fuss, no-frills get-together and ask your guests to bring a bottle with them.
Before you sit down and start planning your party, consider the following tips to make sure your party goes down without a hitch.
Discuss what you both want from your engagement party and be open and realistic about your budget.
Always remember that within the next two years, you’re likely to have your wedding, which is the ultimate goal. Don’t have a blowout engagement party if it’ll impact how much you can spend on your wedding.
Try not to get hung up on the little details. Your guests will have a great time no matter what you choose to do.
Don’t worry too much about the entertainment. If you’re looking to save money, just a few CDs or Spotify playlists will do the trick.
Make sure you pay attention to any dietary requirements. For example, if you’re having a barbecue make sure there are more for the veggies and vegans than just a few salad leaves.
Make sure you include a guest book so your guests can send you well wishes for the busy wedding planning ahead.
Make sure you send your invitations out in plenty of time so as many people as possible can come.
Make sure you prepare yourselves to give a speech. It doesn’t need to be anything big, but make sure you thank your guests for coming.
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One of the most exciting parts of your engagement is undoubtedly the official photos you and your new fiance have taken together. It offers you the opportunity to mark the occasion and have a professional photographer take wonderfully composed shots that you can hang on the wall or put together in an album.
There might be a hundred questions in your head about engagement photos. Should you do them? How much do they cost? What should you wear? Will they look too cheesy?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Having engagement photos taken is a big deal, so it’s only natural to have a ton of questions during the build-up. That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide to ensure you’re fully prepared to go into your big engagement photoshoot.
Whether or not you choose to have engagement photos is totally down to your preferences, how comfortable you are and whether or not you have the budget. For many couples, engagement photos are an important part of the process and make for a great accompaniment to save-the-dates and invitations, as well as for use on your wedding website if you have one. Not only that, but they’re a brilliant way to mark the occasion and make for a lovely keepsake and memory.
If you plan on having a short engagement, you may struggle to find the time to fit an engagement photoshoot in. Similarly, if you’re on a tight budget, it can be difficult to justify yet another expense. But, many couples feel that they’re a must-have part of getting engaged and planning a wedding.
If you’re in two minds about engagement photos or you’re not sure you have the budget to spare, then don’t feel pressured to do them. Of course, many couples consider them a fun must-do, but they shouldn’t come at the expense of something else. In the UK, the average cost of a wedding is £19,184, which is a huge amount of money for most couples, and engagement photos are yet another addition to an ever-increasing list of costs. If they’re important to you, add them to your wedding budget, but if they’re not high on your list of non-negotiables then feel free to dedicate that part of your budget to something else.
You’ll want to choose a date for your engagement photos that’s much closer to your engagement than the big day itself. The sweet spot is while you’re still riding the high of your engagement and haven’t yet sent any save-the-dates or invitations.
You should consider it as a great way to get comfortable in front of the camera, as well as a way to get to know your chosen photographer and let them get to know you. By booking your wedding photographs and engagement photographs as a package deal, you might even secure yourself a cheeky discount.
While you’re likely to hire your photographer to shoot pictures throughout the entire day of your wedding, your engagement photos won’t take nearly as long. For that reason, you’ll probably pay a much smaller rate. The average cost of a wedding photographer is £1,300 – £1,500, and you can usually book a package for around that amount which includes engagement photos as well.
If you’re purely looking for engagement photos, you’re likely to pay between £150 and £250 to hire the photographer for the session, some limited editing and a digital album. However, this can vary depending on the skill and experience of your photographer.
Traditionally, the bride’s parents are the ones who pick up the bill for the engagement photos as they’re often included in the cost of a wedding photography package. However, it’s becoming increasingly more common for couples to pay for their own engagement snaps. It all depends on your budget and whether or not your family is in a position to lend a hand financially.
An engagement photoshoot doesn’t take as long as you might expect, and will usually take between 45 and 90 minutes. Of course, this can vary depending on your location, the conditions, the experience of your photographer and – ultimately – you. If you’re not comfortable in front of the camera it might take you a little time to get warmed up, but that’s one reason why engagement photos are so great – it gets you used to posing and smiling for longer than you might be used to.
If you’re keen on professional-looking engagement photos but don’t have the budget to spare, can you do the DIY approach and end up with photos that are elevated beyond the humble selfie? The good news is, yes you can! The bad news is that you’ll likely have to pick up a few pieces of equipment to make sure they have more of a professional finish.
Luckily, your smartphone can likely already take professional-quality photos. The tricky part is making them look natural when you’re the ones snapping the shots. To do this, you can pick up a tripod for less than £20, and a wireless shutter remote costs as little as £3 so you can snap away without having to set a timer or touch your phone.
To go the extra mile, you might consider a lighting setup, but a decent kit might set you back at least £50. To get around this, choose a well-lit space, or better yet somewhere outside, such as some gardens or a historical site.
Then, just have some fun, experiment and take as many photographs as you can manage. Use different settings on your phone to create different effects, and use the light to your advantage so your faces aren’t hidden in any shadows and you’re not squinting because of the sun. With some perseverance, you’ll definitely come out with some beautiful shots.
When the day of your engagement photoshoot arrives, what sort of clothes should you wear? Should you stick to what you’re comfortable with, or is it time to crack out the formal wear?
Thankfully, your engagement photos can be whatever you want them to be – and that includes the clothes you wear.
In the hopefully-not-too-distant future, you and your spouse-to-be will take part in another photoshoot on your wedding day itself, so why not take the opportunity to dress a little more comfortably? You may not want to rely on a t-shirt and jeans, but something light and summery should do the trick (unless it’s the depths of winter, of course – then you might want to throw on a jumper).
You might not want to match, but make sure the two of you discuss what you want to wear so you complement each other. It may look a little strange if one of you is wearing a flowery dress and the other is in a hoodie. It’s also important to make sure your colours go – if one of you wears red and the other wears green, it might look less like an engagement photo shoot and more like a Christmas card photo shoot.
You might also want to avoid anything particularly ‘trendy’ and go for a more classic look. You don’t want to look back on your engagement photos in 10 years and have a ‘What were we thinking?’ moment. So long as you’re seasonally appropriate, true to yourselves and complement each other, wear whatever makes you look and feel good.
When it comes to the perfect location for engagement photos, you’re basically spoilt for choice. While the focus of your photos is 100% about you, the location you choose should be personal to you, full of character and allow for plenty of natural light.
Great locations for your engagement photos include:
Natural outdoor settings, such as the beach, some gardens or woodland
Urban locations, such as a city street or against a fabulous skyline
Historical sites, such as a stately home or castle
Cultural sites, like a theatre or museum
Personal locations, such as the spot where you met, had your first date or got engaged
Adventurous locations, like on a mountain or in a hot air balloon
At home where you feel most relaxed and comfortable
How long does it take to get engagement photos back?
The amount of time it takes to get your engagement photos back from your photographer depends on their workload, the amount of photographs they took and how much post-production is needed. Generally, it’ll take between two and four weeks, but photographers can be accommodating if you’re on a tight deadline. Just make sure you let them know what you need and discuss your requirements with them before hiring them.
Should you share your engagement photos on social media?
As long as you’re comfortable with it, of course! One of the best parts of engagement photos is that you can use them on your invitations, splash them on your wedding website and share them on social media. Definitely share your favourites, just make sure you don’t overdo it and keep a certain air of mystery about you before the big day!
Excited to take part in your very own engagement photoshoot but nervous about what to expect or what you should do? Here are 10 tips to help overcome your worries and have wonderful photographs you’ll be proud to show off.
Be as open and honest as possible with your photographer. If you’d love to get a particular shot, tell them. Similarly, if you’re not comfortable with something, definitely tell them.
Make sure your photos are super personal and relevant to you and your interests. You don’t want boring, generic photos. You want photos that scream YOU!
Before the shoot, put together a mood board of the sort of shots you like and share them with your photographer. You don’t want to recreate other couples’ photos, but it can help communicate what you want.
Choose a theme that tells a consistent story across all your photos.
Don’t forget your ring! That means you need to time your engagement photos around getting the engagement ring resized (if it needs to be resized, that is).
Don’t do something because you think that’s what engagement photos are supposed to be – be true to yourself throughout the entire process.
Make sure the two of you communicate throughout and you choose colours and styles that complement each other.
If your budget allows, consider hiring a professional hair and makeup artist. Read our post on how to save money on hair and makeup for a few cost-cutting ideas.
Trust your photographer. You might have a vision for what you want your photos to look like, but they’re a pro so let them be your guide.
Try to ignore anything going on around you, especially if you’re having your photos taken in a public space. It’s only natural that people will be curious, but if you just focus on each other (and your photographer of course) you’ll have photos that radiate happiness.
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There’s no bond like the one you share with your sister. She’s been there for you at every step of your journey. She watched all your fashion faux pas, helped you mend your broken heart, and knows exactly how to deal with your quirky habits. She’d naturally want you to take centre stage on her big day by making a heartwarming speech.
But planning a funny wedding speech for your sister is no simple task. How do you strike the right balance between nostalgic memories and funny stories while still keeping your audience engaged? But don’t stress — we’ve got you! In this post, we explore how to write a funny wedding speech for your sister, including 5 top tips for nailing the delivery!
A wedding speech for a sister’s wedding is a speech made during your sister’s wedding reception. It can be a funny maid of honour speech, a brother to sister wedding speech, an entertaining sister-of-the-bride speech, or even a best man’s speech!
As the sister of the bride or groom, you’re in the special position of having known the bride or groom your entire life. This means you’ll have a ton of unique stories, memories, and humorous anecdotes to share with the guests. Although non-traditional, crafting a light-hearted wedding speech for your sister will be a happy and memorable part of the wedding reception, so it’s important you get it right.
The speech should last anywhere between 5-7 minutes and be a balance of well-meaning humour, nostalgia, and well-wishes for the health and happiness of the newlyweds.
How to write a funny speech for a sister’s wedding
If you’re looking to write a funny sister of the bride or maid of honour speech, or a speech for a brother’s wedding from a sister, we’ve got you covered. Check out the below structure for some inspiration and guidance.
Greet your audience
Open your speech by greeting the guests. Introduce yourself to friends, family, and the newlyweds. As the sister of the bride or groom, most people there will probably already know who you are. But a solid introduction is a great way to open the speech, add a sense of occasion, and immediately capture everyone’s attention.
Set the tone
It’s important to set the tone early with a wedding speech. Once you’ve made your introductions, open up with a joke, a short reading, quotes about love, or a light-hearted anecdote about your sister. Getting your jokes in early will not only warm up the audience but also make you feel more confident as you continue the rest of your speech.
Funny stories and anecdotes
You should then share some fun stories and anecdotes about your sister. These can be hilarious, heartwarming, and even a little embarrassing if you feel it’s appropriate! Just be careful not to embarrass her too much. This is a wedding, not a comedy show. Be sure to keep all stories and jokes in good humour, and if you’re not sure, it’s always best to run the story by the couple before sharing it with the audience.
Playful teasing
Incorporate good-natured teasing that brings smiles to people’s faces without crossing any boundaries. Focus on endearing quirks, harmless foibles, or memorable mishaps you have shared. For example, warning your sister’s new partner about their messy ways, terrible cooking, or how long they take to get ready are all standard and acceptable jests to share in front of guests.
Relatable experiences
Most people in the audience will be able to relate to the experience of growing up with a sister (or sibling). They’ll remember the late-night conversations, midnight feasts, or navigating the challenges of big family Christmases! These shared memories and experiences will inspire laughter, understanding, and a sense of nostalgia that will connect everyone in the room.
Well-wishes for the happy couple
Start wrapping up your speech by sharing how happy you are for the newlyweds, your wishes for their future, and how proud you are of your sister for taking this next step. Thank her new partner for all the love and support they’ve shown your sister over the years, and welcome them wholeheartedly into your family.
Wrap up with a toast
The final part of your speech should be a toast to the bride and groom. Wrap up by asking the guests to raise their glasses, share your final wishes for the new couple, and toast to their new shared name. Cheers!
Once you’ve written your speech, take a moment to step back and review it with fresh eyes. You should set your speech aside for at least a day, if not longer. This way, you can come back to it with a fresh perspective and a clear mind. When you revisit your speech after a little break, you’ll be better able to spot any areas that might need refining, whether it’s the flow, wording, or even the overall tone.
Practice makes perfect
Practice, practice, practice your speech to make sure you feel confident and well-prepared. You can practice in front of the mirror, or even record yourself and watch it back. The benefit of doing this is that you’ll be able to see what the guests will see on the day and critique your delivery.
Don’t overdo it
While sharing funny stories and happy memories during a wedding speech is important, be careful not to overdo it. Think of anecdotes and jokes as the spice in a delicious dish you’re cooking. You should flavour the speech with these tales, but not overwhelm it with any one spice. Make sense?
Take it for a test drive
Consider testing out your speech on a trusted friend or family member. This way, they’ll be able to give you constructive criticism in the moment to help you improve your speech. Plus, practicing in front of a person will give a flavour of what it’s like to present your speech to a live audience. This will help you feel more confident and prepared when the actual time comes.
Live feedback can be incredibly valuable, whether it’s a suggestion to tweak the pacing, a reminder to project your voice, or a gentle nudge to pause for laughter. Practicing in front of someone who can provide honest, constructive criticism lets you iron out any rough edges and refine your delivery.
Be mindful of body language
Be mindful of body language as you practice and deliver your speech. Non-verbal cues can enhance your message and help connect you with your audience. So, stand up straight, make eye contact with your audience, take prompts from your cue card (but don’t keep your eyes glued to them), and make facial expressions as you speak. These small changes to your delivery can help colour your speech and make it feel more animated.
Writing a funny wedding speech for your sister’s wedding can be tricky. It’s all about finding the balance between funny stories, special memories, and just a hint of teasing! However, with the right guidance and plenty of love, you can craft a funny wedding speech that will make your sister’s special day all the more memorable.
If you’re feeling nervous, following a structure like the one above can help you start writing your speech. Often, getting started is the hardest part, so once you’ve got your structure down, you can focus on filling it with stories of your childhood, personal memories, and jokes about how messy your sister can be!
So, stand up straight, with shoulders back, and smile! This speech will undoubtedly be a memorable and entertaining part of your sister’s big day. We know you’ll make her proud. If you’re still feeling nervous, let Bridebook be your guide – we’ve got all the tips and tricks you need to craft the very best wedding speech.
The wedding speeches are a traditional and much-anticipated part of any wedding reception. First comes the father of the bride, then the groom, then the best man, then… it all starts to get a little hazy.
The thing is, there are a number of wedding speeches that need to be made on the big day. Guests can get bored and restless if they last too long. But if they’re not long enough, the speech-makers might feel like they haven’t done the bride or groom justice. So, how to strike the right balance while still captivating the guests?
Don’t worry, we’ve got the answers! Check out our comprehensive guide on how long each wedding speech should last, as well as some handy guidance on what each speech should include.
A wedding speech is a speech made by members of the wedding party during the wedding reception. There’s a traditional order of speeches that most people usually follow. However, it’s your big day, so you can absolutely shake it up if you want.
Traditionally, wedding speeches are made after the main course but before the dessert during the wedding breakfast. This way, your guests will have been amply fed and watered and can take a short break before enjoying some sweet goodies. But you can of course have them after dessert if you’d prefer.
Though you can make the speeches before food is served, this isn’t generally recommended. Your guests may be hungry after sitting through the ceremony!
Generally, wedding speeches should last between 5 and 7 minutes to make sure there’s plenty of time for everyone to make a speech. The ‘wedding speech’ portion of the reception as a a whole should last no more than 40 minutes (to prevent people from getting bored). However, it usually lasts between 20 and 30 minutes.
You can shuffle around wedding speech lengths to ensure everyone has a fair chance to say their piece. For example, if you only intend to have two or three speeches, you can afford for these speeches to be a little longer. However, if you want to have many wedding party members making a speech, you should consider cutting down the length to make sure the speeches don’t run over.
Pro tip: To keep things fair, divide the total time you’re hoping to spend on speeches by the number of people you’ve asked to make speeches. For example, if you’re hoping to spend 30 minutes on speeches, and there are five speeches to make, this would bring each speech up to a maximum of 5.5 minutes with a 30-second break in between.
Wedding Speech Lengths: Quick Reference Guide
If you’re in a rush, check out the below quick reference guide to see how long your wedding speech should ideally be. Otherwise, read on for the full breakdown, and be sure to save this infographic for future use.
Use this quick reference guide to work out your ideal speech length
The father of the bride’s speech is traditionally the longest speech in the order of speeches. It’s usually the first speech made during the wedding reception and is a beloved and much-anticipated part of the bride’s big day.
The father of the bride’s speech should last between 7 and 9 minutes (and ideally no more than 12, to prevent the order of speeches from becoming too lengthy.) These speeches generally include:
A thank you to everyone involved in putting together the big day (don’t forget the staff working at the reception)
An ode to your little girl and what makes her so special
The groom’s speech can be a little longer than the best man’s speech. It should last between 6 and 8 minutes, but no longer than 10 for the guests’ sake.
It’s usually second in the order of speeches and should be positioned as a thank-you note to all the people who have supported your relationship and wedding planning. As a basic structure, we recommend the following general structure:
Introduce yourself and your new bride (a guaranteed cheer!)
Thank the groomsmen, best man, bridesmaids, and maid of honour for their continued love and support throughout your wedding planning
The ideal length for a best man speech is around 5 minutes. However, it can be a little longer or a little shorter, depending on your personal preferences and the overall speech order.
The best man’s speech is usually the third in the order of speeches. It should include things such as:
Although untraditional, the maid of honour speech can be a beautiful part of the wedding reception. It should be on the shorter side, like the best man’s speech, and last between 4 and 6 minutes.
The beauty of a maid of honour speech is that there are no expectations, so it can take any structure you’d like! However, it’s a good idea to include:
As with the maid of honour speech, a bridesmaid’s speech is untraditional, so there are no expectations on how long the speech should be or what it should include. We recommend keeping the speech to around 5 minutes long (less if you’d like multiple bridesmaids to make a speech).
Having a bridesmaid’s speech after the maid of honour speech may be nice way to keep things flowing. We suggest that you consider the following structure:
The mother of the groom speech is another untraditional wedding speech, but it’s a wonderful opportunity for a mother to express her love, support, and well-wishes for her son and his new partner. This speech should last between 3 and 5 minutes and, if you’re otherwise sticking to tradition, it will most likely be one of the last speeches made at the reception (though this isn’t a hard and fast rule).
A mother of the groom speech has no set structure. But we recommend including:
A welcome to the family for the new bride
Your happiness that the groom has found someone so special
Fond memories of the groom’s childhood
Heartfelt advice
A final, celebratory toast
The bottom line on speech length
Speeches are an important and traditional part of the wedding reception. They’re the perfect opportunity for the wedding party and other loved ones to share their thoughts and feelings with the newlyweds.
As we’ve explored above, when it comes to speech length, the key is to stick to to between 5 and 7 minutes to ensure everyone has a fair chance to say their thank-yous and give their advice. This will also keep this part of the wedding fresh and interesting for your guests and help hold their attention.
We’ve got plenty of great tips, tricks, and wedding speech structures to help you get started if you’re unsure about what to include. And, to see how long your wedding speech should be in practice, check out our wedding speech examples.
From the moment you get engaged, you’ll be just about ready to burst with excitement and tell everyone you know as quickly as you can. You’ll be so excited, you may even be tempted to scream it from the rooftops (don’t worry, that’s one idea that doesn’t feature on our list).
The easiest thing to do is start calling and texting everyone – and while everyone will no doubt be excited to hear your news, there are ways you can go about it to add a little pizzazz to your major bit of news. From roping in your pet to hiring a flash mob, there are loads of unique, creative and fun ways you can tell the world about your engagement.
So, in this post, we’re going to do exactly that. We’ll cover the best time to announce your engagement and offer you plenty of ideas for how you can go about the big reveal.
Once you’re engaged, you’ll be hit with dozens of things to do as you embark on the road towards your wedding. But, the first thing you and your new fiance should talk about after getting engaged is how you might want to reveal the news to your friends and family. Once you’ve figured that out, you can work on the when.
For example, if you can’t wait any longer and you have to tell them now, then a phone call is more than okay. But, if you’re into a bit of showmanship, you can hold onto the news for a few more days and plan something a little more unique.
Whatever you plan to do, we always recommend that your closest family should be among those you tell first. Then, wider family and friends, including those you want to be part of your wedding squad.
Sure, you could just pop around to your parents’ house and flash them your brand-new ring. You could send a casual announcement via emoji in the group chat. You could give your Nan a ring and tell her the great news.
But where’s the fun in that?
Okay, so there’s no wrong or bad way to tell your loved ones that you’re engaged. But how you decide to drop the news is entirely up to you. If you want to make your announcement one that people will remember forever, there are plenty of ways you can do that too.
So, here are 20 unique ways you can announce your engagement.
Many couples love to mark their engagement by organising a photoshoot. That may not be the most creative idea ever, but it’s what you do on the shoot that you can have fun with. Why not visit a castle or a fun fair or make pottery together like in Ghost? Your engagement photos are a great way to showcase your personalities and drop some hints about the theme of your future wedding.
For many of us, our pets are a huge part of our family, so including them in your engagement announcement helps keep them part of the celebrations. Whether it’s including them in a snap you upload to social media or asking them to bring your parents a note that says, ‘Mum and Dad are getting married’, there are plenty of ways you can rope in your pet. If you have a pet snake, why not let it model your engagement ring for some truly ssspecial photographs?
Many people get tattoos to mark special memories, interests and loves. Why not get the date you got engaged as matching tattoos, then casually show friends and family your new ink? Tattoos would also look great if you decided to get engagement photos taken, with a couple of close-up shots to show them off.
Involving loved ones in your announcement can be a lot of fun. For example, why not ask your best man to come with you to tell your parents, but dressed in a smart suit so you can drop the news when someone asks why he’s overdressed? If the two of you already have kids, a t-shirt that says ‘future page boy’ or ‘future flower girl’ can be a cute way for the grandkids to reveal the news to Nan and Grandad.
5. Give family a personalised Christmas decoration
If you got engaged around Christmas, why not give close family a personalised Christmas ornament that announces your engagement? That way, it’s a gift and a lovely piece of news all in one!
If you got engaged in a public space, then chances are someone got the proposal on film. You may have even asked someone to record it ahead of time. Why not post the video to social media and watch the likes roll in?
You might even want to take some inspiration from celebrity proposals, with loads of big names sharing the moment they got down on one knee for the whole world to see.
We’ve all seen photos of hands proudly showing off a shiny new rock. Why not do the reverse of that and share a photo of your hand without the ring, with the caption ‘something is missing from this photo’. It’ll get people wondering what it is, then BOOM – post a follow-up picture saying FOUND IT, complete with the ring in full view.
If you and your family are fans of game nights, why not put together a personalised quiz? Make each of the questions about you and how you met, and have the answers spell out something like ‘WE’RE ENGAGED’ as the icing on the cake.
If you’re up for a cheesy announcement, why not get matching t-shirts or jumpers that say ‘she said yes’ and ‘I said yes’, or that simply say ‘husband’ or ‘wife’ on them? You could even get them as matching pyjamas for extra cosiness.
Instead of outright telling your loved ones you’re engaged, why not drip-feed them information and drop hints so they can work it out for themselves? Share a snap of the two of you enjoying a coffee together – is that the sparkle of a ring next to the mug? No, it can’t be… it is!
Instead of an engagement photoshoot, why not commission your favourite artist to draw or paint the two of you with the engagement ring taking centre stage? Not only can you use it as part of your announcement, but it’ll be a lovely piece you can hang up in your living room afterwards.
Engagement parties are fairly common, but they’re traditionally thrown by the bride’s family. Why not ignore tradition and throw a bash so you can tell all your family and friends the great news together? Just imagine balloons and bunting hanging from the walls revealing, ‘she said yes’, or a cake with two sugarcraft figures on top, with one getting down on one knee to propose to the other. We guarantee you won’t have to buy your own drinks all night.
If you have a smartphone, you have everything you need to create a cinematic announcement. You could piece shots together to create a trailer for a fake movie, which then ends with a wedding COMING SOON. You could even upload it to YouTube or TikTok, or if you’re feeling particularly brave, ask your local cinema to show it before a private film screening where you invite your family and friends.
There’s nothing quite as romantic as announcing you’re engaged, and what better way to deliver that message than via one of the most romantic forms of communication? A lovely handwritten note will also make for a wonderful little keepsake for your loved ones.
If you have a little budget to spare (which might not be likely with a wedding to plan) or you’re friends with some theatre types, an extravagant flash mob is a brilliant and energetic way to let people know you’re engaged.
If you consider yourself a writer, why not get a head start on your love story and write a romantic tale about two people who met, fell in love and got engaged? Sites like Amazon KDP make it easy to self-publish a book. You could even create a unique cover and have cheap copies printed to hand out to family and friends.
If you don’t think your creative writing skills can stretch to a short story, why not have a go at writing a Haiku? A Haiku is a short-form poem with just three lines, where the first and last line have five syllables and the second has seven syllables. Something like this is all it takes (feel free to use this one if you’re struggling to write your own!):
This one’s a classic, but a photo with the two of you and the ring on show will always go down well. It’s also one of the only times you can take a single photo and not have to caption it to tell a story. You can let the ring do all the talking as your friends and family go crazy the moment it hits social media or the group chat.
If you’re not one to shy away from getting yourself out there, there’s no better way to tell your family (and a large part of your local community) the news than by hiring an advertising billboard. For around £350, you could be the talk of the whole town by letting everyone know the two of you are getting married!
Start planning your wedding with Bridebook
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Asking friends and family to be your bridesmaids is fun and exciting. They get to be a part of your big day and are close by as you get ready, cheering you on as the nerves set in.
If you’ve been asked to be a bridesmaid, it’s equally as exciting. Taking part in the wedding of a loved one is a brilliant honour. It also means there’s a shopping trip in your future so you and the other bridesmaids – as well as the bride herself, of course – can try on some beautiful dresses.
Hopefully, when the time comes to go dress shopping, you know who’s going to pay for what. Is the bride and her family picking up the bill, or have the bridesmaids been told they’ll need to pay for their dresses? Either is fine, but making sure everyone knows what’s expected of them early on is important.
And it’s important to remember that the cost of bridesmaid dresses can vary from relatively reasonable to super expensive. But, how much of your wedding budget do you need to set aside? In this post, we’re going to explore how much bridesmaid dresses cost, including the factors that sway the price, the cost of alterations and whether you can buy bridesmaid dresses on the high street.
In the UK, bridesmaid dresses cost anything from £80 – £500, so it all depends on your overall budget. With the average cost of a wedding being a rather lofty £20,775, it might be hard to justify choosing dresses at the higher end of the scale, especially if you have four or five bridesmaids. Similarly, if you’re asking your bridesmaids to pay for their dresses, you might want to choose a style or design that has a modest price tag. Something around the £80 – £150 mark should strike a great balance between beauty and affordability.
Bridesmaid dresses can be rather expensive, especially if you choose a well-known brand or designer, or choose to shop at a boutique wedding retailer. It is, of course, common for anything wedding-related to come with a premium price tag, as this is more likely to guarantee that your day is extra special.
Bridesmaid dresses are usually made using quality materials and have intricate details. Beading and embroidery take time, as well as any customisations that might be needed to tie them into the bride’s dress.
Many factors can affect how much you might pay for bridesmaid dresses, whether you shop at a high-street retailer or an independent boutique.
The fabrics you choose can have a huge influence, for example, silk and lace are far more expensive than cotton and polyester.
More elaborate and detailed designs will be pricier than simple designs.
The more well-known and established your chosen brands and designers are, the more expensive the dresses will be.
Customisations can be pricey, so you’ll have to pay more if you’re looking for lots of changes.
Retailers in London, particularly boutiques and independents, will generally be more expensive than those outside the capital.
If you use a seamstress, a more skilled and experienced professional will cost more than one at the start of their career.
If you buy four or five dresses it will, of course, cost more than if you were to buy one or two. But, you might find the cost per dress is less the more you buy.
Don’t be surprised if the cost is higher if you have a tight timescale, so make sure you don’t leave anything till the last minute.
Renting your bridesmaid dresses is often more affordable, but comes with more limitations and limited customisation options.
Whether or not you choose to pay for your bridesmaid dresses depends entirely on you, your budget, your bridesmaid budgets and the style and cost of the dresses you have in mind.
If you’re setting ‘rules’, then you may want to ensure you have the budget to cover your bridesmaid dresses. If you’re not precious about what they wear, then it’s common to ask your bridesmaids to pay for their dresses themselves.
Because bridesmaid dresses are usually less complex and intricate than a wedding dress, bridesmaid dress alterations costs are usually far more reasonable. Depending on the level of work required, you can probably expect to pay around £30 – £40 per dress. But, heavy alterations might cost double this or more. It all depends on what’s needed and the amount of time the alterations will take.
How much do bridesmaid accessories and shoes cost?
Generally, even if the bride and her family are paying for the dresses, the bridesmaids will be expected to provide their own shoes and accessories. On saying that, the bride may give her bridesmaids a token gift as a thank you on the morning of the big day, which could be a small piece of jewellery to wear and keep.
Bridesmaid shoes don’t need to be expensive. Any type of flats or simple heels will do the trick. Just remember that everyone will spend a lot of time on their feet, so comfort is key. A nice pair of mid-heel dress sandals or ballet flats will cost around £30 – £60. For accessories and jewellery, you may want to buy something special for the occasion, but you’ll more than likely already have something that will fit with your new dress.
On your wedding day, you’ll likely hire a hair and makeup professional to make you look glamorous and take the pressure away from yourself. As part of that, you might want to bring your bridal party together so that those close to you can look just as stunning – especially your bridesmaids.
If you’re able to secure a package, hair and makeup per bridesmaid (including a trial) will cost around £85. If the artist you hire has an assistant, you may be able to get a lower rate if the assistant takes care of the bridesmaids while the artist takes care of you.
If you have a strict budget, there are plenty of high-street retailers that offer a wonderful selection of bridesmaid dresses. For example, M&S has a range of bridesmaid dresses to suit all styles, tastes and budgets, but are still beautiful and elegant. You’re likely to find wonderful dresses for around £65, which is way below what you might pay from boutique retailers. It’s always worth browsing the high street – you never know what treasures you might find.
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Your wedding day is one of the greatest moments in your life. It’s a celebration of love and commitment, and finding the perfect venue sets the tone for the entire event. While grand ballrooms and fancy destinations have their appeal, there’s something magical about choosing a smaller, more local wedding venue. In this post, we explore the benefits of choosing an intimate setting for your big day, from affordability to on-site accommodation.
One of the biggest advantages of choosing a smaller, local wedding venue is the cost. These venues often offer competitive pricing compared to larger, grander venues. With a more modest guest capacity, you can trim down your guest list to include only your closest family and friends, which can save a considerable amount on catering, decor and other expenses.
Smaller wedding venues create an intimate and cosy atmosphere that larger venues can struggle to replicate. Imagine exchanging your vows surrounded by the people who mean the most to you, without the vastness of a cavernous hall. The closeness of your loved ones creates a warm and inviting ambiance, ensuring that every moment feels personal and special.
Local venues often cater to fewer events at a time, allowing their staff to dedicate more time and attention to your big day. You’ll likely receive more personalised service and flexibility in tailoring the arrangements to suit your preferences. Smaller venues can accommodate specific requests that larger wedding venues may find more challenging to fulfil.
Many smaller, local wedding venues are nestled in picturesque settings, boasting breathtaking outdoor spaces. From charming gardens to quaint courtyards, these venues offer natural backdrops that enhance the beauty of your ceremony and wedding photos.
Opting for a smaller venue with on-site accommodation can hugely simplify your wedding day logistics. It provides a convenient solution for both you and your guests, removing the need for transportation to and from separate locations. Plus, it extends the celebration, allowing you to spend more quality time with your loved ones over the wedding weekend.
By choosing a smaller, local wedding venue, you contribute to the community and support local businesses. These venues are often family-owned or run by passionate individuals dedicated to creating a memorable experience for couples tying the knot. Your wedding becomes an opportunity to give back to the neighbourhood and make a positive impact.
Find your dream venue on Bridebook
Don’t underestimate the charm and advantages of smaller, local wedding venues. From cost savings to a more intimate and personalised experience, these venues offer unique perks that can make your special day even more memorable. Take your time to explore the options in your area, and you may just find a hidden gem that captures the spirit of your love story.
They’re your best friend; you’ve been through thick and thin, through hell and high water, and now they’re standing on the precipice of the rest of their life. You’ll obviously be by their side on the big day, but now they’ve asked you to make a speech! Feeling nervous? Don’t worry – it’s natural!
A best friend’s speech is quite traditional if it takes the form of a best man speech or maid of honour speech for best friend or sister. But you don’t have to be the best man or maid of honour to make this speech. All that matters is making the speech as unique and special as the bond you share.
In this post, we look at how to write a killer best friend’s wedding speech that’s funny and engaging, but also heartfelt and loving overall. We cover what you should include in your best friend’s wedding speech, a best friend’s speech structure, and the most important things to consider when writing your speech.
A best friend’s speech is a speech made by the best friend of the bride or groom during the wedding reception. It may be a funny maid of honour speech, a sincere best man’s speech, or even a sentimental tribute from a close friend who’s stood by the newlyweds throughout their relationship. Either way, the ‘best friend getting married’ speech is a beautiful and memorable part of any wedding reception.
A traditional wedding speech is usually between 5-7 minutes long and includes your favourite memories of the bride or groom, your honest advice, and maybe even a few light-hearted jabs at the bride or groom. A best friend’s speech can fit anywhere into the order of wedding speeches. Themaid of honour speech can similarly fit flexibly into the order of speeches as it’s untraditional. By contrast, a best man’s speech traditionally comes after the groom’s speech (though there’s no pressure to stick to this structure if you don’t want to).
What should you include in a best friend’s speech?
Heartfelt advice. A best friend’s wedding speech is the perfect time to reflect on your own experiences and extend some tender advice to the newlyweds. You don’t need to be an expert in relationships or marriage to give them a few pointers on their new life together; you just need a heart full of love and advice on communication, compromise, and how the couple can grow together.
Fun anecdotes about the bride or groom. The best friend’s speech is the perfect opportunity to give an insight into the bride or groom’s personality, quirks, and special skills. Whether it’s an anecdote about how you met or a funny story about the adventures you’ve shared over the years, these fun tales will add a personal touch to your speech and ensure the audience hangs on your every word.
Your hopes for their future. Expressing your hopes and dreams for the couple’s future is a heartwarming and memorable part of any best friend’s speech. You can talk about how much you’ve enjoyed watching their love story unfold, how you envision their time together, and wish them a lifetime of love, joy, and adventures.
A playful and celebratory toast. As you wrap up your speech, raise a toast to the happy couple. Don’t be afraid to make it fun, playful, and even cheeky! Incorporate a touch of humour by adding a memorable inside joke that resonates with the couple to the end of your toast.
Best friend’s speech structure
Introduction
The first step of your speech should be introducing yourself to those who don’t know you. You should then explain your relationship to the bride or groom and express your gratitude for being asked to be part of their special day.
Acknowledge your best friend
You should then specifically acknowledge your best friend. Tell them how much they mean to you and how grateful you are to have them by your side. You can then move on to let the guests know what makes your bestie so unique and how proud you are of them for taking the next step in life.
Share a funny story
You should then move on to sharing a funny story or light-hearted anecdote about your friend over the years. Remember that their direct family, work colleagues, and neighbours may be in the audience, so make sure it’s a story that your best friend would be happy for them to hear! If you’re unsure, consider running it past them first.
Loving advice
You can then offer your advice to the newlyweds as they begin their new journey together. Draw from your own experiences and share meaningful advice on love, commitment, and friendship. Reflect on the lessons you’ve learned in your friendships, relationships, and life in general. If you’re unsure what advice you could offer, you can always switch this out for some love quotes, a tender poem, or some examples of wedding vows.
Toast
You should then end your speech with a toast to the happy couple. Raise your glass high, invite the guests you join you in a toast, and greet the couple by their names. End with a big smile and take a seat. That’s it!
Best friend’s speech template
To help you navigate the complete breakdown of your speech, it can be helpful to have a visual guide to refer to. Check out our handy infographic below:
Use this best friend speech template to guide your writing
Top tips for delivering a killer best friend’s speech
It’s important to find out where the bride and groom would like you to fit into the overall wedding speech order. The best man’s speech typically happens after the groom’s speech, but it doesn’t have to! On the other hand, the maid of honour’s speech can fit however you’d like into the overall wedding speech order. Clarify with the bride and groom when they feel your speech should come.
Nail the delivery
Shoulders back, chin up, and speak directly to the audience. Presenting your best friend at the wedding can be nerve-wracking, but you need to remember that the audience all know and love the bride and groom, and ultimately you’re here to praise them! If you’re still nervous, check out our post on nailing your wedding speech delivery skills to help you feel more confident.
Take inspiration
If you’re unsure how to begin your speech or what to include, don’t be afraid to take inspiration from wedding readings or love quotes. Often, the most challenging part of writing your speech is the beginning, and these short stories and poems can give you a jumping-off point for your own speech.
Don’t panic
It can be scary to stand up in front of a big crowd and make your speech. The most important thing is not to panic. Make sure you practice beforehand, familiarise yourself with the overall speech order, and take a deep breath before you stand up to make your speech. Remember, even the most seasoned speakers experience jitters; it’s all part of the excitement that comes with being part of the big day.
Being asked to make a best friend’s wedding speech is an honour. It’s a true testament to you and your bestie’s bond, and as you stand before the happy couple, remember that you’re not just giving a speech – you’re a key part of the biggest celebration of their life!
Your words will become a part of their journey that they’ll remember forever, and your only goal should be to do them justice on their big day. Balance light-hearted stories and jokes with kind and caring words about the special bond you share.
So, embrace the nerves, channel your love, and speak from the heart to deliver a brilliant best friend’s wedding speech. For more expert advice and top tips on all things wedding-related, sign up to Bridebook today.
If you’re looking for some top wedding planning tips, there’s nothing like the expertise from a real wedding professional. We spoke to Yasmin Downing, the passionate florist behind Yasmin Downing Floral Design, who specialises in combining modern elements with timeless tradition to create the perfect aesthetic. In her own words: “Since opening a dried flower business during the pandemic, I found my life’s passion in floristry. Having been mentored 1:1 by Master Florists, whilst building a portfolio working on real-life weddings, photoshoots, commercial projects and television, I have brought my skills and experience to a professional level.” Yasmin has also appeared on the BBC’s Ultimate Wedding Planner as one of eight aspiring contestants.
This can avoid awkward “I forgot Uncle Pete” moments and also covers you if you have a boisterous groom who breaks his buttonhole before your photos (Yasmin has actually had this happen!).
2. Have an “emergency” kit
Your wedding emergency kit should include all the things you won’t know you’ll need until you need them (check out our bridal SOS kit post for more information). Yasmin suggests:
White cotton
Chewing gum
Needle
Toothpick
Elastic bands
Flower pins
Floss
Hairband
Bobby pin
Painkillers
Nail glue
Lash glue
Tweezers
Plasters
3. Think about your shoes
If you’re going to be wearing high heels on your wedding day, and taking them off isn’t an option for you, Yasmin recommends taking a couple of paracetamol to pre-empt the pain.
4. Cover yourself in SPF
If you’re like the majority of couples who opt for a spring or summer wedding, be sure to cover yourself in SPF 50. This will make sure you don’t end up pink by 3 PM, Yasmin explains.
5. Protect your skin from clothing marks
Remember to protect your skin from anything that might mark your skin, Yasmin suggests. This includes any socks, bra or wrist hairbands that can dig into your skin.
6. Burn your ribbon ends
If you’ve having satin ribbon on your bouquets, Yasmin recommends burning the end of the ribbon to get a nice polished edge. This will prevent it from fraying throughout the day.
7. Opt for seasonal blooms
Choose flowers that are in season to keep your budget down. Out of season florals have to be imported, Yasmin explains, which can significantly bump up the cost.
8. Consider your dressing area
Ensure that where you get ready is big enough for your whole party. Get lots of mirrors ready as there will be a few of you trying to check yourselves out. Yasmin suggests you pick somewhere with easy parking and access. You don’t want to spend the morning directing people to your location!
9. Factor in a break
Yasmin recommends that you plan in a 20-minute “break” from the day so you and your new spouse can have a moment away from everyone to simply reflect and take it in.
10. Put you and your partner first
Remember that at the end of the day the only thing that truly matters is you and your partner. In Yasmin’s own words: ‘Don’t give a sh*t about ensuring your guests are happy all day. There’s booze and food, so they’ll be fine. Just make sure the two of you are having a great time.”
Want more expert advice and inspiration like this? Then sign up to Bridebook today. When it comes to joyful and stress-free wedding planning, we’ve got you covered.
Proposing to your partner is one of the biggest moments of your life, and the thing that might be on your mind is whether or not to propose with an engagement ring. Of course, an engagement ring is traditionally given when someone proposes; however, just like the way you propose, what you propose with can also be completely unique to you.
Whether your partner doesn’t wear rings, already wears a ring on every finger, or it simply doesn’t suit their style, what you present when you get down on one knee (if you do get down on one knee at all) is up to you. When the time comes for you to propose, you’ll probably have a solid idea as to what your soon-to-be-fiance would like.
So, if you’re looking for some inspiration for engagement ring alternatives, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’re going to dive into why you shouldn’t feel obliged to propose with an engagement ring, and offer you 30 suggestions for ways you can propose if a diamond ring isn’t your partner’s thing. That way, you can propose in a way that’s unique and personal to the two of you.
Why has it become a tradition to propose with an engagement ring?
Engagement rings have been a tradition since ancient Egyptian and Greek times, but it was the Romans who made giving an engagement ring a legal requirement and made it popular. Of course, an engagement ring is far from something you’re legally obliged to give in the 21st century, but the tradition of giving a ring to your partner when asking them to marry you has remained.
That being said, many traditions come and go, or a tradition may not fit with your tastes, style, beliefs or budget. If this is you, then it’s great news that you no longer have to buy an engagement ring for your future fiance!
In the UK, the average amount spent on an engagement ring is £1,978. There are certain traditional amounts that some say you should spend on a ring – anything from one to three months’ salary are popular. But, this is very rarely the case and is something you shouldn’t feel the need to stick to if you’re proposing with an engagement ring.
Want to propose with an engagement ring but also ensure the ring you choose never goes out of style? Below are just a few timeless engagement rings that have been popular for decades, and are set to be placed on ring fingers for many more decades to come.
Solitaire diamond rings – The solitaire diamond ring (any ring with a single diamond) has long been the classic engagement ring. It draws complete focus to the big rock in the centre, with round-cut diamonds being the go-to (but most expensive) choice.
Diamond halo ring – A twist on the solitaire diamond ring, which still features a large diamond, but is surrounded by a halo of small stones to accentuate its beauty.
Trilogy ring – A trilogy ring features three stones, which could be three of the same stone (such as three diamonds) or two different stones (such as two diamonds on either side of a central sapphire).
Emerald cut diamond – Emerald cut diamonds have a striking rectangular shape, which always makes them popular. They’re also not as expensive as round-cut diamonds due to less of the diamond being wasted during cutting.
White gold and platinum rings – The popularity of yellow gold jewellery comes and goes, but white gold and platinum remain consistently popular.
Yes, you can propose without an engagement ring. The most important thing you need to offer in a proposal is your love and commitment to your partner. However, make sure you’re confident that you know what your partner would like to receive when being proposed to. If their dream is to wear a diamond engagement ring, then popping the question without one may come as a bit of a shock.
An alternative to an engagement ring is something you give to your partner other than the traditional engagement ring as a symbol of your love and commitment to them. It could be anything, from a different type of jewellery to a tattoo.
Why you might choose an alternative is a personal decision. It could be because the two of you aren’t interested in the usual traditions, your partner doesn’t like to wear rings, or your wedding budget can’t stretch to include an engagement ring.
Yes, absolutely anything can work as an alternative to a traditional diamond engagement ring. It could be another ring, a different piece of jewellery like a necklace, or anything your partner might love and appreciate. In season three of The Simpsons, Homer proposed to Marge using an onion ring! This obviously isn’t a long-term solution, but it shows just how creative you can be with your proposal.
If you and your partner aren’t interested in the tradition of wearing an engagement ring, there are plenty of alternatives you can choose instead. Below are just 30 suggestions for what you can give your partner when you ask them to marry you.
10 rings that are great alternative engagement rings
Birthstone ring – A ring that features the birthstone of your partner, or one that features both of your birthstones.
A handmade ring – A ring made by a craftsperson and sold at a craft fair or online retailer such as Etsy.
Lab-grown stones – Lab-grown stones are environmentally- and budget-friendly.
Simple band – A precious metal band, much like a wedding ring, is a fantastic choice.
Promise ring – A promise ring can be given before an engagement ring, which the two of you might choose together.
Eternity ring – Traditionally given after a specific relationship milestone, but remember, traditions can definitely be broken.
Family heirloom – A ring that’s been handed down from a relative could be a wonderful engagement ring alternative.
A vintage ring – Vintage stores and charity shops can be a treasure trove for unique alternatives.
Wooden ring – A rustic and eco-friendly choice.
Engraved band – Super personal and thoughtful.
10 pieces of jewellery that are great alternative engagement rings
Instead of a ring, you could propose with a different piece of jewellery. It could be something personal to you, which you could customise further by choosing relevant birthstones, preferences or engravings.
Necklace
Bracelet
Charm bracelet
Brooch
Earrings
Watch
Ankle bracelet
Cufflinks
Body jewellery
Locket
10 alternative engagement ring ideas that aren’t jewellery
For something truly different, why not ditch jewellery altogether and go for something completely out of the box?
Tattoos – If you’re into body art, an engagement tattoo combines your lives.
Handfasting – Usually performed at a wedding ceremony, but can be a symbolic gesture the two of you could do at an engagement.
Handwritten letter – A handwritten letter can help you communicate just how strongly you feel about your partner, which you can give to them during the proposal.
Journal – Similar to a letter, a journal is something you write over time and shows how your love has grown. Another idea is a book of promises, which is a book filled with the promises you’re making to your loved one and how you intend to keep them.
Wedding fund contribution – Instead of an engagement ring (which can be expensive), agree to put that money into the start of your wedding fund. Or, why not donate to your partner’s favourite charity?
Custom artwork – This could be anything from a watercolour painting to a pencil drawing, either by yourself or an artist you both admire.
Plant a tree – What better symbol to start your commitment together than by planting a tree the two of you can watch grow for decades to come?
Keepsake box – Choose a box the two of you can fill with memories.
Proposal video – A video of your memories that ends with you popping the question.
Celebrity video – Websites such as Cameo allow you to ask celebrities to record a personalised video message, which makes for a unique and exciting way to involve your partner’s favourite actor or musician in your proposal.
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