engagement party
/ɪnˈɡeɪdʒ.mənt ˈpɑːr.ti/
CommonA celebration hosted to announce or celebrate a couple's engagement, usually before wedding planning begins.
Traditionally hosted by the parents, but increasingly self-hosted. Online it doubles as a flex for the couple to announce publicly.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | her parents threw the cutest engagement party in their backyard, I cried | The engagement party was small, personal, and emotionally moving. | instagram, 2024 |
| 02 | we are skipping the engagement party and going straight to bach season | The couple decided not to have an engagement party and is moving on to bachelorette and bachelor events. | tiktok, 2024 |
| 03 | how many engagement parties is too many engagement parties asking for a friend | Joking about a couple who has had multiple celebrations for their engagement. | x, 2023 |
| 04 | engagement party planning has already started and we just got engaged last week | Family began organizing a celebration almost immediately after the proposal. | reddit, 2024 |
Use it when
- A couple recently got engaged and friends or family want to celebrate.
- Introducing both families before wedding events begin.
- Referring to the party season that kicks off wedding prep.
Do not use it when
- You mean the bridal shower or rehearsal dinner.
- You mean the bachelorette or bachelor party.
Origin and context
A longstanding social tradition in Western wedding culture, formalized by the mid-20th century as a way to announce engagements to family and social circles before public announcements.
- First seen
- mid-20th century
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/engagement-partyUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0