Just like gift-giving etiquette, engagement parties should also maintain one to keep it stress-free and fun. For instance, inviting friends and family and settling them all together in one place can be a tricky part to keep them in the loop so there’s no need to be careless in this especially if you’re hosting the event. Get yourself set with these top 6 tips.

6 To-Dos For Etiquette-Friendly Party

• You have to invite right. Even the couple has a lot of friends, don’t feel too pressured to include everyone who’s invited or not invited in the upcoming wedding. The engagement party should be an intimate affair with family and very close friends so it’s a must to keep it intimate and small. Also, if the two families are meeting for the first time, you shouldn’t exhaust them with a lot of people to introduce to them so keep the volume small and sweet. And, even if you have excluded others such as some workmates, don’t feel guilty and tell them it’s a family affair and you have to maximize the bonding and time between them.
• Extend the peace around environment. There maybe naysayers that will hear the news about the party and probably will not get invited but you wouldn’t want to hurt their feelings as well. Let them know that this will be again a family affair and even if you’d like them to be there too, it’s just part of the etiquette you’ll need to follow as a reliable host. From there, focus on yours and couple’s happiness.
• Prepare the bridal registry early. Gifts are usually optional when it comes to engagement parties but it’s a smart move to start a bridal registry in case people are asking what they can bring in for the couple. Though, if you don’t feel good about this, you can write on your invites “Your presence is your present!” And that will make both you and them feel off the hook and there’s free will to buy or not to buy one.
• Reserve gifts for opening. People are always eager to see how the couple will appreciate the gifts they bring during the celebration but ensure to just thank them and let them know that opening of gifts will be end at the end of the party. If someone insists you to open the gift on the spot then do it but away from other guests so you prevent the guilt-trip dilemmas.
• Pay to play. If you’re hosting the engagement party at a restaurant then you shouldn’t ask guests to give cash contributions; it’s your responsibility to take on the bill. If you think the party will be too expensive then opt for tea party which makes same fun.
• Meet and greet people with flair and care. Here are some straightforward steps: always introduce the woman or oldest person first; make botched introduction rather than having no introduction at all; add a bit of information of the person you’re introducing then give both parties few topics to start to chat about; and lastly if you forget someone’s name or unsure of how to pronounce it, you may say something between the lines of “Can you tell me your name again, I’m just having this mental block.”

Totally, this will be less the hassle the more you prepared and “study” for the party. While hosting this kind of party is challenging, trying any one of these tips will test how we’ve made successful parties through the years. Take action as early as now. Enjoy!