8 of The Best Engagement Party Invitation Ideas + Tips

Your engagement is an incredibly exciting time. That said, before getting too deep into the wedding planning process, many couples choose to seize the opportunity to celebrate pre-wedding by throwing an engagement party. Consider it the kickoff to the countdown toward your big day.

If you’re planning an engagement party, you’ll need to let people know all of the need-to-know details: Primarily, how, where, and when they can join you for the celebration. That means sending out engagement party invitations.

But if you’ve never thrown an engagement party, chances are, you don’t know what the engagement invitation process looks like. With that in mind, let’s dive into all things engagement party invitations (including a few engagement party invite ideas to inspire your invitation design).

Remember: Your own engagement party need not be an all-out, fanciful affair to require an invitation card. Your celebration can be a backyard bbq, intimate brunch, dinner party, or any style of get-together between you, your friend, and close friends. In any case, your guest list will be in need of all the details—and there’s a design for every type of occasion.

Different Elements to Keep in Mind

There are various elements you’ll need to consider when narrowing down your engagement party invite options, including:

Materials

When it comes to engagement party invites, not all invitations are created equal. And we mean that literally. Depending on the look and feel you’re going for, your invites can be made on a variety of different invitation paper options.

So, what card stock options can you choose from? Some of the most popular include:

• Smooth: As the name implies, this type of paper is smooth to the touch. Smooth paper is also lightweight with just a hint of shine—making it an excellent choice for invites that feature photos.
• Eggshell: Not a fan of the shine? Eggshell has a similarly lightweight feel, but with more of a matte finish. This type of paper also makes colors pop, so if you’re going with a bold engagement design full of vibrant hues, eggshell is a paper option to consider.
• Recycled: If you want your invites to be as environmentally friendly as possible (aside from going paperless and digital), there are plenty of recycled paper options that allow you to create the perfect invite for your engagement party while doing your part in regards to the environment.
• Pearlescent: If you want to up the fancy factor, pearlescent paper—which is a sophisticated iridescent option with just a pop of sparkle—might be the paper for you.
• Double thick: If you want your invitations to have some extra weight, try double-thick—which, as you might have guessed, is twice as thick as typical card stock.

In addition to choosing the paper for your invites, you’ll also want to decide whether you want to include foil on your engagement party invitations. Foil stamping is a method that permanently transfers pigmented or metallic foil directly onto your invites. With foil stamping, you can incorporate foil designs, text, or both into your engagement invite. If you want your invites to feel glamorous, sparkly, and attention-grabbing, foil is a great way to capture the look. Many online vendors will supply the option to add it—or you can DIY by adding some gold or silver flake yourself.

Orientation

Choosing the materials for your invites is one part of the equation. The other part of the equation? Design—starting with the orientation of your invites.

You can design your engagement party invitation to have a landscape orientation (a larger width vs. length) or a portrait orientation ( a longer length vs. width). There’s no right or wrong orientation for engagement party invitations; both orientations work for any kind of design. It’s about looking at examples of both—and then choosing the orientation that feels like the right look and style for your invites.

Color Palette

Next up? Choosing the color palette for your engagement party invites.

When it comes to choosing colors for your invites, the sky’s the limit. If you already have your wedding colors locked in, you can incorporate that color palette into your invite design. You could incorporate your and your partner’s favorite colors. Or, as another option, you can use color to set the mood for the engagement party to come.

For example, are you hosting an upscale cocktail party to celebrate your engagement? Try a sophisticated black, silver, and gold color palette. Throwing a kid-friendly barbecue in your backyard? A brighter color palette could be a good fit.

Like most design elements, the colors you choose are totally up to you—so select whatever color palette feels true to you, your partner, your style, and your engagement party.

Photo vs. No Photo

Many engagement party invitations feature an engagement photo of the couple—and many don’t. As you’re likely the one designing your invites, you’ll need to decide whether you want to include a photo of you and your partner in the design (and, if so, which photo you want to feature). Note that this photo doesn’t need to be of you as an engaged couple—it can be from any point in your relationship. This allows for countless fun and sentimental options.

Design Style

While it’s important to consider each of these individual design elements, you’ll also want to consider how all these elements come together on the final invitation—or, in other words, the overall style you want to capture in your engagement party design.

For example, do you want your invites to feel chic and sophisticated? Classic and traditional? Casual and fun? Knowing the ultimate style or vibe you want to create with your engagement party invites will help guide the design process—and ensure that each element you choose fits with your overall design vision.

What Should You Include on Your Engagement Party Invites?

The design elements you choose for your engagement party invitations will create the look, feel, and aesthetic of your invites. But at the core, the purpose of your invitations is to share information with your friends, family, and loved ones about your engagement party.

So, what information do you need your invitations to share? And how should you go about engagement party invitation wording?

Your engagement party invitations should include:

• An Engagement Announcement: The whole reason you’re throwing a party is that you and your partner recently got engaged—and it should say that somewhere on your invitation. No need to go into details; a simple line that says “we’re engaged!” or something similar will do the trick. Though, feel free to add in ‘From, the Future Mr. and Mrs./Mr. and Mr./Mrs. and Mrs.’ if you’re feeling sentimental.
• Details About the Party: Think of your invitation like a save the date. Your guests need to know when and where to celebrate the happy couple, so make sure to include details about the time, date, location (including an exact address), and dress code of your event.
• Who’s Throwing the Party: If you plan on hosting the party yourself, there’s no need to call that out on your invite. However, if someone else (for example, the bride’s parents) is hosting the party in your honor, you’ll want to include that information on your invitation.
• RSVP Information: You’re going to need to know who is coming to your engagement party, so make sure you include clear instructions for how to RSVP. While you could include RSVP cards (similar to a wedding invitation), it’s not necessary. Keep things more casual (and easier!) by including a contact name, phone number, and/or email directly on the invitation. And don’t forget to include an “RSVP by” date, so you’re not fielding last-minute RSVPs.

How Do You Design Engagement Party Invites?

When it comes to designing engagement party invitations, you have two main options: getting a custom design or using a pre-existing engagement party invitation templates to design your invites yourself.

If you have a very specific vision for your engagement party invites—and it’s different from an invitation you’ve seen before—you could hire a designer to create a custom invitation. That said, hiring a designer is both expensive and time-consuming.

If you want to get a gorgeous engagement party invitation, without the added cost or time of hiring a private designer, going with a pre-existing invitation template is a great option. All you have to do is choose your style and add in event details. Many websites even have their templates available as printables, meaning you can either print them straight from home or take them to a printer.

If you’re in the camp that’d like to use a template to design your invitations, with hundreds of optins, we at Zola have you covered.

When Do You Need to Send Your Engagement Party Invites?

Once your engagement party invitations are designed and ready to go, the next thing you’ll need to tackle? When to put those invites in the mail.

The more notice you can give your guests about your engagement party, the higher the likelihood they’ll be able to attend—so the sooner, the better. Aim for six weeks, but at a minimum, make sure to send out your invites at least one month before the event. This allows each guest enough time to check their schedules, RSVP, make travel plans if necessary, and perhaps even order a gift. Any shorter notice and some people may not be able to make time or adequately prepare.

Keep in mind that all of your loved ones want to celebrate with you! Be considerate of their schedules and respectful of their time, even if sending invitations out several weeks in advance feels like a lot.

8 of The Best Engagement Party Invite Ideas for Your Engagement Celebration

Still, need some inspiration for your invites? Let’s take a look at a few engagement parties invite ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

1. Traditional Engagement Party Invites

If you want to keep things classic with your engagement party invitations, a traditional style with simple, straightforward lettering and a neutral color palette is a great option.

Abbey, Malta, Stauffer, Kalispell

2. Modern Engagement Party Invites

If classic doesn’t feel like your style, opt for a modern invite design with bold colors, graphics, and other design elements.

Cabo 1, Cabo 2, Bryce, Franklin

3. Minimalist Engagement Party Invites

Sometimes, less is more. It’s true in life and it’s true in engagement party to invite design. Minimalist designs that focus on a single design element (like one pop of color or beautiful typography) are a great way to capture a simple, elegant look on your invites.

Powell, Morrison, Florence, Stowe

4. Botanical Engagement Party Invites

There are plenty of different designs you can incorporate into your engagement party invites, but botanicals are among the most popular. Flowers, plants, and other greenery have a pretty universal appeal and can add both color and visual interest to the invitation.

Octavia, Cricket, Eastwick, Escape

5. Photo Engagement Party Invites

Want to add a more personal touch to your engagement party invites? Include a photo of you and your soon-to-be spouse.

Galata Vow Renewal, Terian Elopement, Geneva

6. Rustic Engagement Party Invitation

Rustic celebrations tend to incorporate elements from the rural countryside—and so do invitations in this style. Whether its wooden textures, plant life, or gorgeous mountain-filled landscapes, these invitations give a feeling warmth and style.

Saranac, Deepcreek, Sylvan

7. Floral Engagement Party Invitation

While botanical invitations tend to lean toward greenery, floral designs focus more on—you guessed it—flowers. Engagement parties that are held during spring, amidst gardens, or even have notable floral decor are ideal for these blooming invitation designs.

Maywood, Kalispell, Birkenfeld

8. Fall Engagement Party Invitation

The season you’re holding your engagement party in can also serve as a theme. This is especially the case when you’re working with a season as inspiring as fall. Fall-themed invitations tend to incorporate clean neutrals, deep colors (think oranges and greens), and/or in-season plant life. They’re moody and eye-catching, making them ideal for an intimate get-together.

Brockway, Dubuque, Cadiz

Use These Engagement Party Invite Ideas to Design Your Perfect Engagement Party Invitation

From an ‘I Do BBQ’ to an elaborate brunch, there’s a lot to consider when crafting invitations for your engagement soiree. Now that you know everything there is to know about engagement party invites (and have some ideas for inspiration), all there’s left to do is get out there and design them.

If you don’t have a clue where to start, let us give you a helping hand. We at Zola have plenty of options—not only when it comes to engagement party invitations, but all of your wedding stationary. From save the dates to wedding invitations, and rehearsal dinner cards to bachelorette party and bridal shower invitations, browse our invitations shop for easy customizing and ordering.