Real Engagement - Robert & Emma
Who: Emma & Robert
Guests: 50+
Where: At Home
Style: Rustic elegance, Alfresco
We had the pleasure of sharing some of Robert & Emma's photos from the night! Emma shares some great D.I.Y ideas and tips for holding an Engagement Celebration at home on a budget!
"Rob & I initially were looking at holding the party at a venue but felt restricted with what we wanted to do. I am a very creative and resourceful person and wanted to source and make much of the décor and decorations myself. "
I love the Rustic/ Vintage trends happening in Weddings and wanted to inject that into the night. We have a fairly sizeable outdoor area but it needed a little TLC. My main goal was to create an atmosphere in a alfresco setting. Something guests can relax in.
I started to look on eBay / Gumtree and second hand stores for items to re-use and re-purpose. I found these fabulous vintage cane chairs to put outdoors.
I also found mismatching vases which were filled with flowers and old serving trays. I purchased some warm white fairy lights and paper lanterns which were hung to add some ambiance. Lanterns were purchased from stores such as Base Warehouse for next to nothing. I also went to stores such as Hot Dollar and found vintage style drink signs and little wooden crates.
I looked on websites such as Etsy and Pinterest for DIY ideas and found if I purchased so twine and little paper doilies I could make so beautiful garlands to hand up. So easy and affordable and so effective! Hire or buy some tall bar tables and place vases of mixed blooms on each table. Add mini drink coolers with a bottle of wine ready to go. Add some table nibbles and you are ready to go!
A space can be transformed by placing some large outdoor pillows, deck chairs or even a vintage couch. All of these items can be found second-hand and usually second hand items have a lot of character. I would recommend buying or hiring a drink urn. These can range to purchase from $60-160. They are versatile, can be filled with any mix you like for example Sangria and look fantastic.
Buy some wooden chopping boards and make your own cheese platters. Easy 1, 2, 3!
Buy some sourdough from your local bakery or supermarket, cut into little bit size portions, fill 3 little white dishes with extra virgin olive oil, caramelised Balsamic Vinegar and Dukkah.
These are a huge winner with guests and are also great fillers. - Cheese, breads and nuts never let you down.
Overall, I saved a lot of money hosting the party at home and decorating myself. I made sure I searched around for good deals and unique décor. It is more work but very rewarding!"