Tying the knot? Congratulations! It’s time to celebrate with your closest loved ones. But you don’t have to rent a hall and spend a ton of money to throw a party. I have 15+ amazing engagement party ideas at home that are easy, chic and affordable.
15+ Engagement Party Ideas at Home That Are Easy, Chic, and Affordable
1. Set Up a Dreamy Outdoor Party
How beautiful is this setup for an engagement party? Start by setting up tables and chairs with white linens and flower centerpieces. Add white balloons of different sizes to decorate the walkways, along with solar lights to make the path more visible.
Hang string lights to add to the ambiance, as well as lanterns and LED flickering candles.
You can serve guests a buffet-style menu or even make this a potluck if you want. Create a playlist with easy listening songs to keep your guests entertained without annoying your neighbors.
A party like this is so chic yet affordable. All you need are simple decorations and the right lighting to set the scene.
2. Have a Family-Style Dinner Outdoors
Host a dinner party at home and enjoy your meal family-style. Set up a big table with chairs, and add pretty decor. Start with a white tablecloth and add a table runner. Then, add small floral centerpieces along the table. Arrange place settings for each guest.
To create the right ambiance, hang string lights across the yard.
You can serve a full-course meal, and everyone can enjoy conversation and laughs.
Because this type of party is very low-cost, you can consider splurging on catering (depending on how large your guest list is).
Related: Romantic Valentine’s Day Decorations for Every Space in Your Home
3. Outdoor Movie Night Party
Invite everyone over for a movie night and snacks to celebrate your big news. This setup looks so cozy yet chic.
To recreate this in your own backyard, you’ll need:
- A projector screen and a projector
- Balloons
- Wheat or grass decorations
- Lanterns
- Pillows
- Blankets
- Tubs for holding snacks
- String lights
You can play whatever movie(s) you want. If you have a favorite film that you love, that would be a great place to start.
4. Dessert Bar
Here’s one of my favorite engagement party ideas at home because it’s so simple yet perfect. You don’t have to get fancy with your party food. You can set up a cute but elegant dessert bar with cookies, cupcakes and other treats.
Serve your desserts on cake stands. Add photos of the two of you, floral decorations on the window and little vases with flowers.
Feel free to serve whatever desserts you want, but you don’t have to go overboard. You can serve tea and coffee with your treats.
5. Pretzel Bar
If you want a more casual party, you can set up a pretzel bar, which is perfect for this occasion. Add a cute little sign that says “They’re Tying the Knot” with your names.
Serve fresh pretzels from a local bakery along with dipping sauces, like honey mustard, nacho cheese and regular mustard.
Another option is to add other types of toppings, like:
- Cinnamon and sugar
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Garlic and parmesan
- Pumpkin spice
Along with pretzels, you can serve beer or hot drinks (depending on the time of year) and other finger foods.
6. “Shot” Cuterie Party
How cute is this idea for an at-home engagement party? Instead of setting up a big grazing board, you can serve individual “shot” cuterie cups.
You’ll need short plastic cups or shot glasses for these as well as mini appetizer forks and spoons.
Serve your food on acrylic risers to elevate the display.
Some ideas for your “shot” cuterie include:
- Three-cheese macaroni shooters
- Caprese salad shooters
- Mini charcuterie shot glasses
Get creative with your food offerings. The great thing about appetizers like these is that the ingredients are typically simple and affordable.
7. Make a Splashy Entrance
Even though you’re hosting your party at home, you can still create a splashy entrance to welcome your guests.
Have a custom sign made for your party, and display it on a simple wooden easel. Add balloons with baby’s breath flowers tucked in to create a beautiful entryway.
There are many sellers on Etsy that can create custom signs for your party at an affordable price.
8. Play the “How Many Kisses?” Game
I love engagement party ideas at home like this one because it’s fun for your guests. Set up a jar of Hershey’s Kisses near the entryway of your party, along with a sign that says “How Many Kisses?”
If you want to get creative, you can add as many Kisses as the days you were together before getting engaged (e.g., 2 years = 730). This may not be practical if you’ve been together for many years, but it’s a cute idea for couples who have been together for 3 years or less.
Lay down pieces of paper and markers on the table so that guests can submit their guesses. Make sure they add their names to their paper. Have them drop their guess in a bowl or hat.
The guests who guess correctly or get as close as possible to the correct answer win a prize. You can give whatever you want as a prize (it doesn’t have to be anything expensive or fancy).
9. Grazing Tables
Allow your guests to graze during your party, snacking all the time while mingling with your guests. You can do a lot here:
- Fruit boards with strawberries, grapes, apple slices, pineapple or anything else you wish.
- Meat and cheese boards with crackers, cheddar, salami, pepperoni and other goodies.
- Veggie boards, such as tomatoes, cucumber slices and others.
- Cheese and cracker boards.
- Dessert boards.
Related: 25+ Mouthwatering Grazing Table Ideas That Are Easy & Delicious
10. Popcorn Favors
How cute are these little popcorn favors? You’ll need small bags of popcorn, which you can make with these cellophane treat bags. Fill each bag with your favorite popcorn, tie a ribbon on top and then add a name tag that says, “He popped the question.”
It’s a simple, fun way to thank all of your guests for attending and also give them a treat bag that they can eat at home.
If you don’t like popcorn, you can always swap it out for anything else, such as chocolate-covered pretzels or mini chocolates.
11. Dessert Grazing Table
Your engagement party ideas at home can be unforgettable, like this dessert grazing table. Adults are just big kids, and you can bring a big smile to their face with a table filled with goodies, such as:
- Macaroons
- Brownies
- Cupcakes
- Nutella dip
- Candid nuts
- Fruit slices
- Mini tarts
- Mini cheesecakes
Cinnamon rolls, strawberries, grapes, nut butters, cream puffs, eclair and even mascarpone cheese can be added to the table.
12. Engagement Party Food Table
Food is a major motivator of guests who will surely be hungry throughout your party. You can fill your table with anything you like, but feel free to add some of these items to your feasting table:
- Donuts
- Deviled eggs
- Mini sandwiches
- Salads
- Charcuterie boards
- Cookies
- Breads
- Fruit salad
If you have a favorite food, feel free to add it. Want something simpler? Place a big bowl of dip in the middle of the table with potato chips, pretzels and veggies, such as celery sticks.
Plan on having your party earlier in the day?
Swap the donuts out for bagels.
13. Custom Party Banner
Personalized party banners are always a great way to make your space stand out. You can do a few things, such as:
- Add wording that says, “She said YES!”
- On the bottom right, add a diamond ring with a large band
- Add the names of each spouse inside of the band’s circle
- Place a heart on the right side of the banner that says, “Future Mr and Mrs.”
Don’t forget to adorn around your banner with white and gold balloons.
14. Engagement Ring Balloons
Balloons are now integral decorative pieces at engagement parties. You can find elegant balloon arches where you can take pictures, have balloons fall from the ceiling when you walk through the door, or opt for an option like these engagement ring balloons.
Amazon sells dozens of these types of balloons, such as:
If you have a local party supply store, they’ll help you find matching balloons that look elegant and classy.
15. Fairytale Party
Engagement party ideas at home can also bring a fairytale element to your space. You’ll need a large outdoor table that’s covered by a pergola or covered deck where you can hang:
On the table are elegant white flowers and dishware. You have a great base to work off of with just this cozy space that you’ve created. You can now add ambient music and serve your favorite dishes while celebrating this big moment in your life.
Related: Fancy Wine & Charcuterie Party Ideas for Hosting Friends
16. Disco Garden Party
Your disco party revolves around the outdoor picnic table, which is filled with:
- Flowers of all varieties
- Serving plates and utensils
Add your drink of choice to the table, whether it be wine or champagne. Hang string lights and disco balls if you can. You’ll need a space above the table to hang these items, such as a pergola.
For your plates, be sure to purchase colorful ones to make your table pop. Flameless candles also add a nice ambiance. For your food choice, it’s up to you, but some ideas that I had are:
- Cupcakes
- Deviled eggs
- Fondu station
- Party trays
- Veggie tray
Or you can splurge and have your party catered by your favorite local restaurant.
