On Saturday we had our engagement party. Here are some things that I learnt:
- You can get away with inviting more people than you think will comfortably fit.
- Some people will show up at the start of the party. Prepare well in advance so you’re relaxed when people arrive.
- Once you’ve provided everything, people will mostly take care of themselves.
- Nobody eats coleslaw.
- Don’t tell people to use Google Maps to find your house, give good landmarks and detailed instructions.
- It doesn’t hurt to open the windows early, it will heat up quickly with all the people.
- A good playlist won’t go unappreciated; there’s a good chance some of your favourite tracks will make people say “Oh, I love this song! I haven’t heard it for years!”
- Introverts can be very social if the majority are good friends.
- Extroverts sometimes need to hide in the kitchen.
- People like home-made foods.
- Take your shoes off.
- Use paper plates and plastic cups; the cleanup will be once-round with a bin bag, and you won’t have as much washing-up to do.
- Be prepared to live off the leftover food. Don’t be stingy, people like a good spread, you’d be mortified if you ran out.
And lastly:
- You’ve been planning for weeks. The day after, you will probably feel a massive come-down, trying to work out what you’ll be doing for the rest of your life. I’ve heard this is worse after the wedding itself, so the engagement party will give you a small taste.
