Photo by: Hopkins Studios

My fiancé and I got engaged over the holiday season and our friends have asked us when the engagement party will be. Who typically hosts the engagement party? Is there any special protocol for this type of celebration that we should keep in mind?

Traditionally, the bride-to-be’s parents will host the engagement party; however, in today’s world, it’s very common for the groom’s family or even friends to host this celebration.  If families live in different parts of the country, it may be decided to host separate parties.

Cocktail parties and dinners are amongst the most popular type of celebration, but there are no rules so have fun and get creative!

It can be hard to decide who to invite to the party so it is usually kept to just family and close friends. Remember it is generally thought of as poor taste to invite someone to the engagement party and not to the wedding itself. If you’re having a destination wedding, this does not apply as your guests will be happy to celebrate with you in person since they will not expect to be at the wedding.

Embellished Events
Luxury Wedding Planning and Design :: Serving Hilton Head, Savannah and Beaufort
Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Hello@EmbellishedWeddings.com

A rehearsal dinner and welcome reception sets the tone for what the rest of the wedding weekend will entail. It’s important to plan an evening that includes all of your out-of-town guests. Your guests do not expect you to throw another reception the night before the wedding, but it is a hospitable gesture to invite them to partake in festivities with you!

With destination weddings, it’s popular to host an intimate rehearsal dinner with only family and the wedding party, followed by an open invitation gathering, also called the “Welcome Reception.” This is an event that all guests attending the wedding are invited to attend. It typically starts after dinner hours, say 8:00pm. This communicates to guests that they should not expect a full blown dinner, but rather lighter fare such as hors d’oeuvres and desserts accompanied by cocktails. Throw in a little live music from a steel drum band or acoustic guitarist and you’ve created the perfect way to start off the weekend!

Hilton Head and Bluffton offer a wide variety of perfect locations for rehearsal dinners and welcome receptions. From casual to five star, we’ve listed some of our top favorites to help get you started with planning the perfect kick-off party to your weekend long wedding celebration.

Sage Room: Located on the south end of Hilton Head near Coligny Plaza, this fine dining establishment is just a short walk from the beach and is known for its open kitchen. Along with the open floor plan, Sage Room has a private wine room, which is perfect for intimate gatherings of __  people. $$$

Truffles Cafe: Truffles has three locations for you to choose from: Pope Avenue, Sea Pines and off-island in Belfair Towne Village. The Bluffton and Sea Pines locations are more upscale while the location on Pope Avenue is a bit more casual. Each location has private dining options available. $$-$$$. www.trufflescafe.com

The Smokehouse: Known for its BBQ and wings the Smokehouse is a great location for a casual dinner. With a large restaurant and a large bar area it can house a large party. The bar section is complete with a stage for live music and a shuffleboard table, while the outside has a brand new bar and fabulous fireplace. The outdoor deck can be rented for parties and accommodate up to 50 people. The Smokehouse also has catering available and is willing to travel to any location.  $. www.smokehousehhi.com

Old Fort Pub: Inside of Hilton Head Plantation, Old Fort Pub is a fine dining restaurant with a fabulous view off the back deck. The delicious menu caters to all types of foodies, young and old. $$$. www.oldfortpub.com

Skull Creek Boathouse: Known for its amazing waterfront views, The Boathouse is perfect a casual indoor or outdoor event. The Boathouse is equipped with two bars, both indoor and outdoor and their menu features everything from Lowcountry cuisine and Southern favorites to a full, fresh sushi bar. They have also recently opened “Sunset Landing,” their own private event venue for up to 120 guests. $-$$. www.skullcreekboathouse.com

Chart House: Located next door to The Boathouse, The Chart House is more upscale than its neighbor to the right. Inside the restaurant is a beautiful formal dining area separate from a relaxed bar area. The dock out back provides breathtaking views of the Skull Creek. $$-$$$. www.chart-house.com

Cheers Charters: If you care to take a sunset cruise before dinner at The Chart House or Boathouse, Cheers Charters docks their gorgeous Schooner right out back. This fun 2 hour excursion is one of my favorite things to do pre-dinner and if you have enough people, they will close out the boat to other parties. The price is also very affordable considering you can bring your own wine and food aboard! $$. www.cheerscharters.com

Old Town Dispensary: Recently opened in Old Town Bluffton, the Dispensary is the perfect combination of southern rustic. It has a fabulous outdoor area with fire pits and an amphitheater for regular live music. It also has an indoor and outdoor bar. This casual location is brought to you by the same owners as the Sage Room. $-$$. www.otdbluffton.com

Vineyard 55: Directly across the street from the Old Town Dispensary in Old Town Bluffton is Vineyard 55. With the exterior of an old house this laid back restaurant bring the feel of a Napa Valley Vineyard to the south. With tables made from old wine barrels and large leather couches, Vineyard 55 is great for an indoor or outdoor event. $-$$. www.vineyard55.com

The Spirit of Harbor Town: The Spirit is the only heated and air-conditioned luxury dinner yacht offered on Hilton Head Island. With an open upper deck and a lower covered deck the yacht can comfortably accommodate 148 passengers. Hilton Head’s only on-board dinner cruise offers a full bar, full crew and waitstaff and beautiful views of the Lowcountry. This one of a kind dinner cruise offers transportation to the annual fireworks at Shelter Cove and beautiful, historic Savannah and hosts over 100 special events each year, including private wedding parties.

xoxo
Jen

Embellished Events
Luxury Wedding Design and Planning :: Serving Hilton Head, Savannah and Beaufort
Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Hello@EmbellishedWeddings.com

Now that you’re engaged, it’s time to start planning the wedding of your dreams! Being that this is a once in a lifetime event, you’re probably wondering where to even get started! Planning a wedding is much different than organizing a dinner party, charity event or even an elaborate birthday party. You have traditions and etiquette to consider along with hundreds of decisions to make. Throw in some opinionated family members and you’ll quickly find the experience to be quite stressful.

To help you get started with planning the perfect wedding, I’ve put tougher a list recommended things to do in the first months. I hope this gives you and your fiancé  a productive start to this  fun experience!

Photo by Scott Hopkins Photography
Location: Palmetto Bluff Resort

1. HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER |  First thing’s first, it’s time to bring in a professional to manage the details and steer you in the right direction. This person will be your new best friend, giving unbiased opinions and advice with the experience to back their word up. They’ll help save you valuable time by suggesting vendors that will work with your budget and deliver quality products and services. Having the peace of mind knowing  your wedding is in the hands of an experience wedding professional is worth it’s weight in gold. I’ve worked with several couples whose parents told me they didn’t hire a wedding planner for their first child’s wedding and it was one of their biggest regrets. While a planner’s fee is typically 10-15% of the overall wedding budget, I can guarantee you it will be one of the smartest investments you make. For more information about hiring Embellished Events to assist you with wedding planning, please fill out our contact form here.

2. SET A BUDGET | This is the first important step when planning your big day. Setting a budget will help gauge the guest list. It’s important that you speak with both sets of parents openly and discuss what they’re each willing to contribute. Then you two will have to decide if you want to contribute anything. DO NOT even consider taking out a loan.

3. START YOUR GUEST LIST | Now that you have an idea of how much you can spend, it’s time to create a spreadsheet for the guest list. How are you supposed to begin hunting down the perfect wedding venue if you don’t have an approximation for the number of guests that will be present?

4. DETERMINE THE TIME OF YEAR TO GET MARRIED | Fall and spring in the South are prime times for weddings. Keep in mind holidays such as Easter and Mother’s Day. Also look at the city’s calendar of events to make sure you’re not overlapping with a major town event. The Heritage Golf Tournament is HUGE here in Hilton Head. I always deter my clients from booking their wedding on this April weekend because hotels and other accommodations are already booked up and most venues are busy hosting their VIP clients for special catered functions.

5. DETERMINE YOUR WEDDING STYLE | What is the formality? Do you want a look that is timeless and classic, chic and modern or a little bit of both? Talking with your planner and hiring a graphic artist to create a custom wedding logo will help determine the overall design concept for your wedding. It will also help in the search for the perfect wedding venue!

6. PICK A VENUE AND SET THE DATE | Many times these decisions go hand in hand. If the venue of your dreams is booked on a Saturday, consider a Friday or Sunday date! If you’re planning a destination wedding, most guests will have to take at least one day off of work. Whether it’s a Friday or Monday they’re taking off, I don’t think they’ll mind either way. If your wedding is important to them, which it is, they will be there!

7. CREATE A WEDDING WEBSITE | After you’ve found the venue and set the date, it’s time to start creating your wedding website. This will be helpful for guests who wish to start planning travel arrangements. If you’re planning a destination wedding, this is a very valuable tool for your guests to refer to. It will include the locations for the ceremony and reception as well as room block information at local hotels. It’s also a fun way to share your engagement photos, tell a little about how you met, and also introduce the wedding party.

*Setting up your website takes time, which is why I have it on this list of things to do first. If you don’t have the time to create a nice website, delegate the task to your graphic artist or stationer. Make sure it’s complete and includes all of the essential information before you share it with guests. Typically the website is printed on your Save The Dates, which are mailed out 6 months prior to the wedding.

8. BEGIN RESEARCHING/BOOKING VENDORS | If you’re wanting a custom wedding logo, the first vendor to hire is a stationer/graphic artist. The next vendors that take priority in booking because they only commit to one wedding per day is the photographer, videographer and band. Once they’re booked, it’s time to decide who you’ll use for flowers, cake, ceremony music, hair/makeup and transportation.

9. START YOUR WEDDING REGISTRY | You’ll want to register for a few small items like photo frames, champagne flutes, vases, etc. before your engagement party. Some guests will seek out a registry for you as they’re planning the engagement gift. You don’t need to advertise where you’re registered for the engagement party. In this tech-savvy world we live in, people are quick to jump on Google to search your last name and the word “wedding.” Your registry or wedding website will pop up first on the list.

Well that’s it! Haha, just kidding. You have a long road ahead of you  sorting out the details for your wedding day. At least this will help get you off to a good start!

One piece of advice that I’ll leave you with today:
“Don’t let the stress of planning get in the way of this joyous time! Enjoy every minute and try not to get bogged down with trying to ‘keep up with the Joneses.’ Your wedding day is centered around the two of you exchanging vows and making a commitment to each other that will last a lifetime. Whether it’s in front of 4 people or 400, it’s the most important day of your life. Relish in every moment and take in each memory.”

Best Wishes and Happy Planning!

xoxo
Jen

Embellished Events
Luxury Wedding Design and Planning
:: Serving Hilton Head, Savannah and Beaufort
Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Hello@EmbellishedWeddings.com