Congratulations—cue the wedding bells (almost)! If you’re reading this, you’re likely newly engaged and excited to share the wonderful news with family and friends. We understand how joyful this time can be for couples, but once the initial excitement settles, you might start feeling the pressure of planning that engagement party everyone keeps asking about. Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.
This guide is designed to help you navigate the planning process with ease, ensuring your backyard engagement party is everything you dream of. Whether you’re planning to host from your home in Seattle, WA, apartment in Chicago, IL, a rental house in Denver, CO, or anywhere else in the country, keep reading for our expert tips and make your engagement celebration unforgettable.
1. Elevate your backyard
With a bit of creativity and effort, you can turn your backyard into the perfect setting for an unforgettable engagement celebration. Whether it’s adding some privacy, incorporating cozy fall touches, or making simple backyard upgrades, there are plenty of ways to enhance the space and create a warm, inviting atmosphere.
If your backyard is already beautiful with the landscape, flower gardens, or fall foliage, Jill Lee from Jill’s Flower Shop in Massachusetts suggests letting the backdrop speak for itself. “Let nature shine. Keep it simple with an arch decorated with flowers for a nice backdrop behind the engaged couple at the engagement party. Jill’s Flower shop offers flower arch rentals in fresh and silk flowers 365 days a year. If you have chosen an outdoor venue, look for focal points you can use during the ceremony and reception that will wow your guests.”
If you’re looking to transform your backyard for the perfect engagement party, California-based artist and photographer, Paulina Perrucci Photography, suggests, “Add a wow factor to your homes by incorporating unique installations that transform a backyard into a stunning event space. For example, if there’s a pool, consider adding floating elements like balloons, flowers, candles, or lanterns to create a dreamy, reflective ambiance. You can also set up a statement piece, such as a canopy draped with lights and greenery, to serve as a focal point for the event. Enhancing the space with comfortable lounge seating, elegant table settings, and subtle lighting around the yard will make the entire area feel more inviting and sophisticated, turning a simple backyard into a beautiful, personalized venue.”
2. Incorporate food trucks
What brings together convenience, creativity, and enjoyment all in one? According to founder Aeren El from Stg Food Trucks, a live location app and website for food trucks in the St. George, UT area, it’s food trucks. “They’re ideal for creating a casual, laid-back atmosphere at your backyard engagement party, allowing guests to mingle and enjoy delicious, freshly prepared meals. With so many food trucks available in most areas, it’s easy to match the cuisine to your party theme, whether you’re going for a chic street food vibe or a more specific culinary experience. This flexibility, combined with the lack of cleanup, makes it a fun and stress-free option for your special celebration.”
3. Get the party started with games
“For a fun and interactive backyard engagement party, incorporate lawn games like cornhole, giant Jenga, or ring toss to keep guests entertained and mingling,” says Leah— host of the podcast Bridechilla Podcast. Leah also suggests, “Play a trivia game where guests answer questions about the couple. These activities can create a relaxed, playful vibe and help bring everyone together.”
4. Capture the moment
Capturing the moment at your engagement party is essential for preserving the memories of this special celebration. Jim Osgood, a Virtual Tour Specialist from Trueview360s recommends providing disposable digital cameras for your guest to document the event. “Disposable digital cameras are a great way to encourage guests to capture candid moments and create a fun, interactive element for your backyard engagement party.”
And, if you have a bit of flexibility in your budget, a photo booth is definitely worth considering. We chatted with two photo booth companies to get their best tips.
Get lucky with Lucky Frog Photo Booth
“Unlike boring party favors that get thrown away, a photo booth offers a priceless keepsake that will be treasured for years to come,” says Gabriel Beeler from Lucky Frog Photo Booth in Los Angeles, CA. “From rustic to romantic, a stylized backyard photo booth also can add to the ambiance of your wedding, and you can customize the photo booth experience to match your theme. The printed pictures, photo backdrop, photo booth graphics and memory book can all be personalized and customized to match your backyard decorations. Along with the look, a photo booth encourages more guest interaction and also provides an ideal way of capturing candid moments that you might overlook when socializing.”
Picture perfect with Perfect Pixel Photo Booth
Chris from Perfect Pixel Photo Booth in Sacramento, CA recommends choosing a picturesque backdrop— like a floral arch or a rustic wooden frame— and provide fun props that reflect the couples personality. “Encourage guests to snap candid shots throughout the event, creating a delightful keepsake album for you to cherish. Don’t forget to add a personalized guest book where everyone can leave their well wishes alongside their photos.”
5. Create a personalized touch
Adding a personalized touch to your engagement party can make the celebration feel truly special and memorable. Consider incorporating some of the elements below to reflect your unique love story.
Jodi Riml from Partyhaus, an online resource for party supplies, says, “A backyard engagement party is a wonderful chance for couples to bring their own style and interests to their party. Whether it’s a theme party, a casual BBQ get together or an all-out chic and stylish bash, party supplies and decorations can add a personalized touch to an event. Interests like favorite colors or perhaps shared experiences as a couple can be highlighted with simple accents like fun drink umbrellas, bespoke cocktail napkins, printed table runners and personalized signage to make an engagement party a little more intimate and personal.”
Daniel Krikorian from B. Remembered in Westborough, MA says, “For the perfect backyard engagement party, create a cozy, inviting atmosphere by incorporating string lights, comfy seating, and personalized décor that reflects your relationship. Keep things simple by offering a fun, themed menu with easy-to-eat bites and signature cocktails. Hiring a coordinator or day-of helper can also ensure everything runs smoothly, letting you focus on enjoying the celebration with loved ones.”
Columbus, OH photographer Curtis Wallis from Curtis Wallis Photography wants couples to remember to cater to you and your friends. “Your engagement party is an opportunity for you as a couple to spend more time with those closest to you. If you enjoy socializing, set up seating for group and intimate conversations. Keep the music low and savor each other’s company. For the party groups, make sure there is a dance area and crank up the playlist.”
6. Plan ahead
The team at Rustic Charm Booth in Hacienda Heights, CA wants couples to remember, “Planning a great outdoor event requires a lot of planning and weather checking. If you’re working with any vendors to help bring your event to life, it’s always best to inform them that the event is going to be outdoors. For example, some photo booth companies have open air booths that require shade. So informing them it’s outdoors will allow them to make sure to bring proper shade, such as a canopy or inflatable tent. Also, outdoor events will require the vendors to plan on possibly bringing their own generator or battery pack. Another useful tip for outdoor events is to consider renting or buying heat lamps in case the temperature drops.
7. Bring the sparkle
As a jewelry writer, Becky Stone from Diamonds In The Library shares an important tip for your backyard engagement party. “Clean your engagement ring to make sure it’s photo-ready. Never use harsh chemicals or sharp tools to clean jewelry. Instead, try giving your ring a gentle scrub with a soft toothbrush in a bowl of warm water with a drop of dish soap. It’s the easiest way to make sure your new sparkler is shining its finest for all the super cute ‘I said yes!’ photos that you’re going to take at the party.”
Hosting the Ideal Fall Backyard Engagement Party: Final thoughts
Bloomington, IN-based wedding photographer Anna Clark from Anna Clark Photography sums it all up best. “Nothing says ‘welcome to the family’ quite like a cozy backyard engagement party at home. With the busyness of the wedding planning season, a comforting environment for your engagement party can be the perfect choice. Backyard engagement parties are a wonderful choice for any couples looking for a relaxing gathering to share the excitement. Couples can lean into the cozy vibes with informal seating, blankets and warm drinks for the cooler months, s’mores around a fire pit, and a playlist of your favorite songs as a couple to create the soundtrack of the evening.” We hope this guide makes your engagement planning easier— happy planning and congratulations.
