In the world of weddings, every moment is worth celebrating. Kitchen teas, bachelor parties, honeymoons, receptions, bachelorettes… and now engagement parties! Over the past few years, many couples have decided to keep the magical fire of the proposal burning a little longer by throwing a (sometimes extravagant) party with their family and friends to honour their engagement.
Last year, after an epic proposal in Bali, local couple Gabby Larsson and Travis Strydom followed this popular trend and put together a sophisticated engagement party at The Pencil Club in Umhlanga. “We weren’t going to have an engagement party, but after chatting with family and friends, everyone was so excited and felt it was a great idea to come together to celebrate the start of our new chapter together,” says Gabby. This was also the perfect opportunity for friends and family from each side to meet before the wedding day.
So how did they do it? It only took the new fiancée and fiancé two weeks to plan the occasion. They started where many do: Pinterest. “We created a mood board, choosing the colours and feel we wanted to go for, and then our parents took it from there to create an element of surprise! We wanted to focus on something elegant and classy, whilst having a classic/minimalist approach, to tie into the theme of our wedding. It’s so important to us that we look back on the theme in years to come and still love it. We wanted to stay away from what’s trending and rather place focus on timeless elements.”
Sticking to this idea, the couple chose simple, classic outfits. Travis wore a suit he already had and Gabby sported a silk white dress from YDE.
The venue is crucial. They chose The Pencil Club as it fit their theme and is the ideal one-stop-shop, which made the planning very easy. The space is effortlessly elegant and has gorgeous lighting and a breathtaking view, so Gabby and Travis didn’t have to do much in terms of decorating. “We hosted our event at the ballroom, where we had our own private bar and a delicious selection of canapés,” they add. Of course, a party isn’t complete without a beautiful cake (and a champagne tower!).
“Another great thing about The Pencil Club is the cigar lounge,” says Gabby. “After we all ate, the guys went to smoke cigars with drinks and music, whilst we ladies had tea and cake.”
Although the venue, food and outfits made the day extra special, the most important part was that all the people they loved were in the same space together, having a good time and celebrating the happy couple.
If you’re planning your own engagement party this year, Gabby and Travis have some words of wisdom: “Don’t overthink it and try to make it this big fancy party – you don’t want to take away from your special day. Also, keep it intimate. We only had our bridal party and family there. It was special that way as we got to have moments with each person there. The big celebrations with everyone will be on the big day!”
Words by Jordyn Trollip
