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Hosting an engagement function? 6 considerations before choosing your party venue around Parramatta
18.03.2020

Your partner popped the question: And you said yes! Congratulations! Love should always be celebrated, so what now?

(Did someone say an engagement party!?)

Yes, it is time to start the pre-wedding celebration. Let the wedding festivities begin!

Hosting an engagement party requires a certain amount of planning and preparation. No matter what aspect it is, each detail should be all about celebrating you as a couple. The venue you choose is no exception.

Selecting a location that eludes the desired atmosphere and mood for the night while catering for your guests is not always easy.

That’s why before settling on a place, sit down with your finance and decide on a few details. Doing this makes the organisation process more manageable and less stressful down the track.

There are many function venues in and around Parramatta that offer everything you need in one location for your ideal engagement party. So before choosing your dream venue for the dream night, we encourage you to consider the following six elements beforehand.

Engagement function checklist before you decide on a venue

Budget

Establishing a budget for your engagement party should follow the same structure as your wedding. Think of it as practice! A detailed budget can help you determine where your priorities are. Decide on which elements you want to receive more financial attention than others.

If you do decide to go with an all-inclusive venue, budgeting is easy as you can see the prices upfront and as a total amount. This way, you can add and take away elements while keeping a close eye on your expenses.

Guestlist

There are no hard and fast rules on how many people you should invite to your engagement party, but having an idea of how many guests you may want is a good idea.

Coming up with an exact number of guests is not required at this stage, but agreeing on a maximum will give you an idea on how much space you will need. An estimated guest list size is also beneficial for the venue so they can make the proper arrangements ahead of time. Selecting a venue that can hold a range of guests gives you one less thing to worry about during the initial planning stage.

Décor

Similar to all the other elements of an engagement party, choosing the decorations and theme of the night can be as straightforward or as complicated as you desire. If you are hosting a small number of people, decor can be simple and intimate. For a larger group, you may want the style to be a little bit more stimulating.

Venues that are already styled, themed or decorated can save you a lot of time. A beautifully painted interior, complete with delicate lighting and an array of flowers can sometimes be all you need to make a venue ‘‘function’’ ready.

Food and drink

The dining situation at engagement parties depends on the guest size and your food preference. Food and beverage catering can be hard to plan as it requires you to know how much people are going to eat and drink and you want to make sure you spend some time planning it as this component is not cheap.

For larger groups, canapes and finger food may be a good option, but its downfall the possibility that guests will go hungry. A solution to this is to have a self-service option ensuring all guests have access to food. For smaller, more intimate groups, a formal sit-down dinner can be a good option.

A benefit to hosting your engagement party at a restaurant is that they are equipt in providing food for a large number of people, with some venues offering food and beverage packages.

Entertainment

Not all engagement nights need extra entertainment, but there is no harm in organising a live musician to play in the background or a mid-dinner performance. There are a variety of venues in and around Parramatta that provides entertainment on request, all which can make you and your partners night just that little bit more ‘‘extra.’’

The perfect Parramatta venue for the perfect engagement party

Found a venue? How about Sahra by the River in Parramatta. We know to make your engagement party a night to remember. Our dedicated staff are experts in function and event planning and wants to help you create your dream engagement party.

The beautiful Parramatta river provides the venue with a picturesque backdrop. Sahra offers a range of middle-eastern based food and drink packages, three different sized spaces to host a range of event sizes and the option of in-house entertainment. Tailor-made packages are an option, made simple by the use of a detailed selection criteria.

At Sahra by the River, to make sure all your needs we work alongside you through the whole process. On the night, we ensure the night runs smoothly, meaning you and your partner can focus more on celebrating and less on the organising.

Let us be part a part of your special day! For more information, our friendly team will be able to assist you!

Contact us on (02) 9635 6615