Engagement Party Venues for Rent in New York City, NY

If you want to make your engagement party in New York magical, we’ve got a few aces up our sleeves and are willing to share! But first, let’s start with the basics:

What is the purpose of an engagement party and should you have one?

The purpose of throwing an engagement party is to celebrate the important life milestone of getting engaged. It’s also a chance for future wedding guests to get to know one another before the big day. It’s an excuse to get together, enjoy some food and drinks, and simply share this special occasion. However, don’t feel pressured to hold an engagement party if you’re not feeling it.

Once the emotions have settled and you’ve broken the exciting news to all your nearest and dearest, sit back and consider if and how you’d like to celebrate. It’s a good idea to start by setting your budget. And by that we mean all the wedding expenses from this point until the big day itself. If you end up with some money to spare and decide to go ahead with the engagement party, read on to discover our tips and best practices!

How to plan an engagement party

Planning an engagement party can be a good warm up before you get to the real deal and start planning your wedding. There are many questions to ask yourself when you’re preparing for the celebration, so let’s dive right in:

• Who throws the engagement party? According to tradition, it’s the bride’s parents who host the engagement party. However, nowadays the rule is definitely more flexible. It can be the groom’s family or some mutual friends. And if the couple want to host their own engagement party themselves, that’s also fine! 
• When to have an engagement party? Some say it’s best to throw your engagement party right away, while others give 2 to 4 months as the optimal time for celebration, so you can have a pause to take it all in before you dive into the planning process. Of course, the date of your engagement party may also depend on the date of your wedding. If you’re having a long engagement, the celebration can wait a little longer too.
• Who to invite to an engagement party? Some couples decide to throw a huge party for everyone they’re going to invite to the wedding, while others go for small get-togethers with just their closest family and friends. However, engagement party etiquette says that you should only invite the people who will also be on the guest list for the actual wedding party. Depending on the style of celebration you’re going for, you can send out formal invitations or choose a more casual option, such as e-vites.
• How to choose an engagement party venue? One of the most important things to make any party great is finding the right space. So how do you do that? We’ve already talked about your budget – this is definitely going to be one of the decisive factors. Set your maximum price using Tagvenue’s smart filters and browse our listings of party spaces that fall within your range. If you’ve already figured out your guest list, you can also filter venues according to capacity to find the right-sized one.
  Try to think about the ambiance – depending on the style you’re going for, you could choose a Michelin-starred restaurant or a local bar with an easy-going vibe. The venue’s surroundings are also worth considering. Would you rather host your engagement party in a lively neighborhood or perhaps you’d like to rent a space in one of New York’s quieter areas?
  Last but not least, food and drinks. Decide whether you’re looking for a venue that offers in-house catering or would you prefer to take care of that side of your event yourself? If you choose the latter, ask your venue manager about their BYOB policy. Generally, external catering can be a good way to save some money, but sometimes venues ask for an extra fee if you go for this option.
• How to decorate an engagement party venue? As with all the other party planning steps, this one’s completely up to you. Go for something as simple or as elaborate as you wish. Leave it to the venue, use the services of a professional decorator or decorate the venue yourself to cut down the costs. Fresh floral arrangements, candlelight and maybe some fairy lights to set the mood will usually do the trick.
• What to do at an engagement party? It’s best to keep things casual. As we’ve already mentioned, one of the reasons for hosting an engagement party is for your guests to break the ice and get to know each other. So create opportunities to chat and mingle, and keep the music to a low level so that people can have comfortable conversations. And don’t worry, you’ll have a chance to go all out on your wedding day!