Congratulations on beginning your wedding planning. We’ve prepared a pre-wedding events planning guide to help guide your decision.
These smaller celebrations leading up to your special day are going to be remembered forever. As a couple, you might want to explore your options.
As an event planner, you’d also want to see and explore what needs to be done. You might even find replacement events that will actually fit the budget.
So, let’s get into the pre-wedding festivities and learn what can be done.
A. What is a pre-wedding celebration?
Pre-wedding celebrations are smaller events leading up to the wedding day. These events aim at bringing the family closer, solidifying commitment, and honoring the couple.
There are a lot of pre-wedding events that a couple may or may not choose to have. We’ve listed a few based on popularity and cultural preferences.
In the modern day, nobody writes rules for which ones you can celebrate and can’t. So, go ahead and see what inspires you.
B. Most-loved pre-wedding events
Here are some universally loved pre-wedding events for you to include in your celebration:
1. Proposal Party
If you’re not one for an intimate proposal, you can turn this into one of the pre-wedding events.
It’s like a surprise birthday party, except, it says you’re about to get married.
Usually, it’s the groom who throws such parties. But, you could do it differently, perhaps!
2. Engagement Party
The engagement party or the ring ceremony is where couples declare their commitment to each other.
Typically, it happens two or three months after the proposal. Family and friends come together to witness this beautiful ceremony.
In an engagement party, there can be a few performances followed by the ceremony. Then, everyone disperses to have the feast.
Usually, those who come to the engagement party are automatically invited to the wedding.
3. Bridal/Wedding Shower
Brides love such pre-wedding events. Why? Because they get showered with a lot of gifts!
It’s hosted by the maid of honor or close relatives. Here, the couple/bride-to-be sets up a wedding registry. The registry contains all the gifts she’d find useful or like to receive.
In addition to being given gifts, the bride also enjoys bridal shower games.
Only light refreshments are required in both bridal and wedding showers.
A bridal shower is specifically for the bride-to-be. But, a wedding shower can be enjoyed by both (the couple).
4. Rehearsal Dinner
This is another one of the universally loved pre-wedding events. It also serves a practical purpose.
In its essence, a rehearsal dinner is a relaxed event the night before the hectic wedding. It can be hosted in one’s home, a restaurant, or a bar.
Here, close friends and family enjoy a dinner in a space that’s intimate and comfortable.
Then, they can practice their toasts and performances for the main wedding day. Everyone is told what is expected of them at the wedding.
All last-minute preparations also take place during this event.
Couples usually also use this event to give gifts to the guests for their immense contributions.
5. Bachelorette Party
A month or more before the wedding, the bride-to-be enjoys a night out with her close friends. Family members of the same age can also be included based on the bride’s preference.
Costs are borne by the friends throwing the party. It marks an important date as the bride is about to make a big commitment. So, this night, she gets to enjoy herself as a free unmarried soul one last time.
6. Bachelor Party
This is the male equivalent of a bachelorette party. It happens at the same time around which the bride celebrates it.
Groomsmen or friends host this event for their friend who is about to get hitched. Costs are also split between them.
Usually, a trip abroad or an adventurous activity together is preferred.
7. Wedding Luncheon
These pre-wedding events are usually for the bridesmaids. It’s a simple lunch party where the bride gets to extend her gratitude to bridesmaids and immediate family.
This small-scale but very emotional event sets the tone for all the work that’s to be done ahead. Weddings can get hectic, so such pre-wedding events help you ease into it.
It’s typically hosted a week before the wedding and is paid for by the bride.
8. Wedding Welcome Party
During this event, all guests who are about to attend the wedding assemble. This isn’t as intimate as a rehearsal dinner.
Here, all the wedding guests get to mingle and enjoy light refreshments. Not a lot of work goes here as long as the wedding guests are entertained properly.
It’s often organized for multi-day wedding functions or destination weddings. It’s a way of saying thanks to guests who came all the way or took out time.
C. Indian pre-wedding events
Did you know that Indian pre-wedding events can span weeks or even a year?
That’s fine considering a basic wedding function will also span over two to three days.
Every region has its own pre-wedding events in India. Here are some popular ones for you to get inspired by.
1. Roka
This is one of the North-Indian pre-wedding events. Here, only the families of the bride and groom are present.
The families exchange gifts and promise to wed their children to each other. It’s like a commitment ceremony between families.
It typically happens before the engagement party.
2. Henna/Mehndi Party
Did you know that Henna ink is very significant in Indian cultures?
Legend says that the darker the henna on the bride’s hand, the better her married life will be.
So, this event became a popular pick amongst Indian weddings.
Only immediate family and close friends get to attend this event. Here, women get their hands tattooed with henna.
There’s also light-hearted singing, dance, and snacks to go along with it.
3. Sangeet
Sangeet when translated means ‘song’ and that’s the core of this event. Family members and friends sing traditional songs and play indoor games.
It’s a way of showing support to the couple and encouraging them for their big day.
This event is a lot more flexible than others as the date isn’t fixed by a priest. The location, date, and host are determined by discussion between families.
D. Fun and unique pre-wedding events
Many fun pre-wedding events are happening outside India too. Here are some famously loved pre-wedding events from other cultures that’ll inspire you.
1. Jewish Aufruf
This pre-wedding event is organized at a synagogue a week before the wedding. Here, blessings are recited upon the groom or couple. Traditionally, only the groom and his family attended the event but lately, brides also attend.
2. Tea Ceremony
This sweet and simple celebration from China is something you could include in your celebration.
It’s possible to do it on a budget too!
Here, the couple dress up in traditional clothes and serve tea to elders and family members.
The family members accept the tea, showing their acceptance and appreciation for the wedding.
It’s a beautiful inter-generational event where the couple leaves with blessings from their family. It also strengthens the generational bond.
You could surely include this simple yet meaningful pre-wedding event in your festivities.
E. FAQ
1. Are pre-wedding events important?
Pre-wedding events are for the couple to create memorable celebrations for themselves. Sometimes they are also necessary for cultural and religious reasons. Multiple events leading up to the wedding also accommodate different kinds of celebrations the couple may want to have. It’s not always possible to make all your wedding dreams come true in one day or night. Thus, pre-wedding events allow you to add more personal touches.
However, it is possible to club your pre-wedding events into your wedding ceremony. It can all be done in a day if you can work out the logistics for it. Budget or time constraints usually influence the decision to go with a single-day celebration.
2. When should you begin wedding planning?
Your safest bet is to start planning a year in advance. However, it’s also normal to start planning as soon as the proposal takes place. You can use our wedding planning timeline to help guide your planning on a month-basis.
For the Western wedding planning timeline, we have a separate article.
3. What is a wedding reception?
A wedding reception is a post-wedding event where the bride, groom, and guests dance and drink.
It’s a hospitality event after a tiring wedding. It’s a party on a big scale as there’s lots of dancing and food involved. Some might even say it’s more enjoyable than the actual wedding!
F. Welcome to EventTube
We are glad you’re considering pre-wedding events. They serve important milestones in the wedding planning journey.
It might make the process more hectic, but the results it brings will be worth it. Families and friends coming closer, uniting to give you best wishes is beautiful.
Luckily, based on your likes, dislikes, and limitations, you have a lot of options to go with. From light-hearted events to massive gatherings, there’s a lot you can do before your wedding.
Lessons learned from organizing pre-wedding events also help you organize a more cohesive wedding.
For all the wedding planners reading this, you might want to enter the realm of pre-wedding events first. They teach you a lot and improve your skills.
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If there’s any other pre-wedding event you’ve organized and would like to talk about, drop a comment too!
