Our Favorite Engagement Party Ideas At-Home That Bring the Fun

These days, there's no shortage of exciting engagement party ideas to celebrate your "just said yes" moment. But can you have an engagement party at home? And the answer is, absolutely! Planning an engagement party at home can help you save time and money while giving your guests a chance to celebrate in your favorite space.

And if you aren't sure who to invite, just consider this prewedding celebration a chance to party with your closest friends and family in a fun, more casual way before the big day. Plus, any of these themes work great for a surprise engagement party where your guests will be none the wiser. So get your engagement party invitations ready with your address and take a look at some of our favorite at-home engagement celebration themes.

1. "I Do" BBQ

An "I Do" Barbecue has equal parts good food and good times. You can serve up your favorite grilled foods, play classic backyard games and enjoy the company of your loved ones while celebrating your engagement.

2. Summer Camp-Inspired Shindig

What's better than bringing the nostalgia with a summer camp party? You can get creative with this theme with a s'mores bar, fire pit, star gazing and even summer camp games right in your backyard. You can even add camp signs with an engagement party twist to guide your guests.

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3. Engagement Tea Party

Whether you're feeling more of a Bridgerton afternoon tea or an Alice in Wonderland tea party, you can't go wrong with this versatile theme. Have your guests dress up to match the theme for an upscale soiree full of classic English tea and bites.

4. Chill Backyard Game Day

Get into the competitive spirit with your guests when you plan a backyard game engagement party. Think easy-to-setup games like croquet, giant Jenga, sack races and other favorites.

5. BYO-Picnic Engagement Party

Here's a spin on a traditional potluck – a bring-your-own picnic theme. Have each guest pack their own picnic basket with their favorite foods, a blanket to sit on and enjoy filling your home or backyard with an eclectic picnic.

6. Engagement Pool Party

Pool parties are a classic for good reason. Set up all the pool toys, pool-themed snacks and drinks and tell your guests to bring their swimwear for a day lounging in the pool and playing Marco Polo.

Photo: Miss Gen Photography

7. Backyard Beach Bash

Even if you don't have a pool, it's easy to turn your backyard into a beach with this theme. Lay out some sand and seashells, set up a tropical bar, play ocean sounds and place lounge chairs and umbrellas around for that beachy feel.

8. Potluck Engagement Party

This one's for all the foodies whose friends love to cook or bake. A potluck engagement party is the perfect way to incorporate all your loved ones' go-to recipes for a foodie's dream party. Just don't forget to add an engagement party cake to complete the theme.

9. Dress-Up Party

Pick a theme (like classic couples or even asking guests to dress like each other) for a fun time no one will soon forget. A dress-up party gives everyone an excuse to get silly and have some fun while keeping it simple for your engagement party decorations.

10. Engagement Party With a Holiday Theme

Whether you got engaged around the holidays or just love the holiday spirit, this theme brings the festivities to any time of year. Some possible ideas include Christmas in July, Halloween and Easter Sunday (complete with an adult Easter Egg hunt).

11. Around-the-World Engagement Party

Roam if you want to…all while staying right at home. This around-the-world theme is easy to set up by incorporating food and decor from your travels or even places you plan on visiting during your honeymoon.

12. Festive Karaoke Night

Time to bust out the mic for karaoke night with all your favorite engagement songs. You can even ask your guests to dress up as their favorite musicians to really elevate their singing performances.

13. Food and Drink Flights

Bring the fine dining to your backyard with a food and drink flight. Have your guests try mini bites and sips of exciting, delicious treats from a caterer or chef.

14. Sporty Couples Olympics

How about some friendly competition with all the couples in your life? Pair up in teams of two and play at-home Olympics for this engagement party theme, where everyone will be fighting for that gold medal.

15. Movie Night Engagement Party

Grab your popcorn and candy for this fun way to celebrate your engagement. Play your favorite movies in your living room or screen it outdoors with a projector for those drive-in movie theater vibes.

16. Trivia Night Engagement Party

Test your loved ones' knowledge with a pub-style trivia night at your home. You can choose from different trivia topics, like movies, celebrities or even who knows the couple best. (And there are a ton of printable engagement party games you can include in this theme, as well.)

17. Wine Tasting Engagement Party

Treat your guests to a wine tasting without the trip to a vineyard. One fun way you can get them involved is by having them bring their own favorite wines and vote on which one everyone loved most.

18. Engagement Party Inspired by the Met Gala

Tell your loved ones to get all dolled up and choose a theme for this snazzy soiree. You can choose a previous Met Gala theme or make up your own, like thrift store fancy fashion.

Photo: Anya Kernes Photography

19. A Day at the Carnival

Bring the carnival to your backyard with this exciting theme. Consider your favorite elements of a day at the fair, like a small petting zoo, carnival games and classic treats.

20. Rainbow Connection Engagement Party

If being colorful is your favorite thing, then why not throw a party as vibrant as you are? This rainbow-tastic theme makes it easy to inject colorful foods, drinks and decor into your day, and you can even ask guests to dress in their favorite colors.

21. Artsy Paint-by-Numbers Engagement Party

Painting parties have seen a serious rise in popularity over the years, so hosting your own is a fun way to let your guests get creative (and a little tipsy). You can hire someone to lead or even follow along with a painting YouTube tutorial.

22. Superstar Soiree

"You're a shining star" with this fabulous theme. You and your guests can dress like their favorite celebs for a night out in Hollywood, right from the comfort of your home.

23. Pop Culture Theme

Pick your favorite movie, musical or TV show and create a bash that's all about that bit of pop culture. Some recent ideas we've seen lately that we can't get enough of are a Shrek party and Barbie bash.

24. "Slumber" Party

Here's a throwback that'll make you feel like a kid again. Throw a daytime slumber party where everyone dresses in their best PJs and serve classic slumber party snacks while playing your favorite engagement party games.

25. Murder Mystery Engagement Party

Bring Clue to life with a good old-fashioned murder mystery party. This theme gets everyone involved and in character for a Whodunnit that everyone can enjoy.

26. Improv Night

"Whose line is it anyway?" during an improv-themed engagement party. Take inspiration from the classic show, like scenes from a hat, props and party quirks.

27. Fiesta Engagement Party

Make your engagement party a true fiesta, complete with a taco bar, margaritas and dancing. You can even throw a piñata into the mix for a nostalgic game or set out miniature ones as your engagement party centerpieces.

28. Disney Day

Bring the most magical place on Earth to your home with a Disney-themed engagement party. Have everyone dress like their favorite characters and serve up some theme park treats like churros and turkey legs.

29. Crafts Night Engagement Party

This theme mixes two different kinds of craft: beer and DIY activities. Have a bar full of your favorite craft beer and then a crafts station where guests can make their own bracelets, candles or other take-home goodies. And don't forget to set out some engagement party foods for snacking, too.

30. Sports Night Engagement Party

This one's for the couple who loves live sporting events. Bring the stadium to your backyard with a friendly sports game, and separate into two teams for an unforgettable sports night.