Your engagement party is the perfect excuse to gather your favourite people, celebrate your love, and enjoy a carefree night before wedding planning takes over. Expect great food, plenty of drinks, and endless laughter as you soak up the moment with friends and family.
But here’s the thing — some of your guests might be meeting for the first time. Will it be awkward? What will they talk about? What if there’s nothing to break the ice?
That’s where party games come in! The right games can get people chatting, laughing, and having fun in no time. They help bring everyone together, create memorable moments, and make sure your engagement party is more than just another gathering — it’s a night to remember.
In this post, we’ll share why games are a must, which ones are guaranteed winners, and 21 ideas to keep your guests entertained from start to finish.
Should you have games at your engagement party?
Whether or not you have games at your engagement party is completely your choice, which can be influenced by several factors, including your:
- Theme
- Venue
- Budget
- Guest list
- Guests’ preferences
It also depends on your own preferences and the feel you want to go for at your party. If you’re looking to host a formal engagement party with a three-course meal, you might not have the time or space to play games. If you’re hosting your party at home or in a park and things are more informal, games are a fantastic way to entertain your guests.
Then again, there’s such a wide variety of games you can play at an engagement party, some games that would suit the most formal of parties.
Why have games at your engagement party?
If you’re on the fence about whether or not to have games at your engagement party, there are plenty of reasons why they can be a great idea. Below are just a few reasons why you should hop off the fence and go ahead with a few games.
- Introduces a brilliant icebreaker, particularly if there are guests who are coming together for the first time.
- Provides entertainment and gives guests of all ages something to do.
- Adds an extra level of personalisation to your engagement party.
- Ensures a fun and memorable party.
- Prevents any awkwardness or downtime.
- Introduces friendly competition.
- Encourages your guests to get involved.
What type of games should you have at an engagement party?
The best engagement party games are quick, fun, and easy for everyone to join in. They should be simple to understand, require minimal setup, and keep the energy high—because no one wants to spend half the night figuring out complicated rules instead of having a good time.
If you’re planning an outdoor celebration — whether in your backyard or by the beach — make sure your games can be easily moved inside or that you’ve got a solid backup plan. A game of volleyball on the lawn sounds great, but if the weather turns, trying to set up a match in your living room might not be the most practical idea!
Should you have prizes?
Prizes for the winners of your games can encourage your guests to get stuck in and try a little bit harder than they might otherwise. But, they’re not the be-all and end-all, so if you don’t want to or your budget doesn’t stretch that far, that’s fine too.
If you want to offer prizes, why not use them as your party favours? You could have a couple of bigger prizes for overall game winners, like a bottle of wine or a teddy bear, then smaller prizes for everyone else, like some sweets. That way, everyone still gets a little something to remember your engagement party by.
21 engagement party game ideas to inspire you
If you know you want to have games at your engagement party but you’re not sure where to start, we’re here to help. Here are 21 engagement party game ideas to give your guests the time of their lives.
1. Couples quiz
Put a list of questions together to test the couples in attendance. Ask progressively harder questions to see if you can trip up some of your overconfident guests. It’s a great game to play to keep the focus on you and your engagement.
2. Pictionary
All you need is some paper, a marker pen and a few teams. Except, instead of the usual Pictionary rules, make it all about weddings and getting married.
3. Trivia
It’s your night and lots of your loved ones will be there, so why not create a bunch of trivia questions all about you and your new fiance? See who from your friends and family truly knows you best.
4. Guess the year
We all have old photos hidden in the loft or sitting in albums on our social media accounts. Put a collage together and ask your guests to guess the year they were taken.
5. Karaoke
This one’s perfect for guests who can hold a tune—but even better for those who think they can! Karaoke is always a crowd favourite, especially if you’ve got friends and family who aren’t afraid to grab the mic and belt out a song (whether they hit the right notes or not).
6. Ring hunt
Print out some gold rings and cut them out, then hide them around the venue and encourage your guests to find them. Whoever finds one wins a small prize! A great family game that gets the kids involved.
7. Ring toss
To keep it ring-themed, put some props together and throw gold rings over them. The harder or further away a target is, the more points they’re worth.
8. Photo booth
Photo booths are so much fun, and perfect if you’re holding your engagement party at a venue away from home. All it takes is a box of props and your guests will have a great time creating fun and fantastical photos.
9. Two truths and a lie
A hilarious ice breaker, each of your guests announces two things about themselves that are true and one that’s a lie, and your other guests are encouraged to identify the lie. You might find out some interesting things in the process!
10. Cocktail making
All it takes is a few spirits, some mixers, some sugar and some fruit to let your guests become mixologist sensations. See who can create the tastiest cocktail of the night, as well as the guest who will inevitably make a drink that no one wants to finish.
11. Cornhole
A game that’s becoming increasingly more popular but is super easy to pick up, as well as being quite addictive. Throw bean bags to a board and get them through the hole in the centre. A great game to play indoors or outside.
12. Newlywed game
A game that puts you in the hot seat. You and your fiance sit facing away from each other, and you each have a pen and paper. Your guests fire questions at you and you write down your answers, then share them to see if they line up. Another variation is the shoe game, where you hold two shoes (one yours, the other your fiance’s) and hold up the corresponding shoe depending on what the answer is.
13. The memory game
Ask everyone at the party to write down a memory of you. The funnier the better. Then, one by one, they’re read out and your guests have to guess who the memory belongs to.
14. Charades
A party classic, Charades is always a crowd-pleaser and perfect for all ages. But for an engagement party twist, keep the clues themed around weddings and romance — think iconic love stories, romantic comedies, and famous couples. It’s guaranteed to get everyone laughing (and maybe even a little competitive)!
15. Jenga
16. Tie the knot
A little naughty so maybe not one for the kids, take a bowl of cherries and invite your guests to see if they can tie a knot in the stalk using only their tongues. It’s sure to get everyone laughing at each other’s skills.
17. Card games
All you need is a deck of cards, and the possibilities are endless! Whether it’s Poker, Bridge, Euchre, or even a simple game of Snap for the kids, there’s something for everyone. For a fun twist, use candy or matchsticks as betting currency — no real stakes, just pure entertainment!
18. Casino games
If you’re going for a casino theme, you could hire a casino table and dealer to put on some proper Las Vegas-style games. All the fun and thrills of Vegas without the risk of losing all your money – which is perfect ahead of planning your wedding!
19. How many sweets in the jar
Fill a big jar with sweets and have your guests guess how many are inside. To keep it on theme, use jelly lips, love hearts, or anything romance-inspired. The closest guess wins the entire jar — because what’s sweeter than love? Well… maybe a giant jar of lollies!
20. Guess the famous couple
Use emojis, photo mash-ups, anagrams, or clever clues to represent famous couples — then let your guests guess and keep score! Who can crack the code and name the most iconic duos?
21. Don’t say ‘wedding’
Challenge every guest at your engagement party to not say the word ‘wedding’ – it’s a lot harder than you might expect because everyone wants to talk about it! If someone says it, they get a point on the board. Whoever says it the least wins.
Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook
After you’ve thrown your brilliant engagement party, you can focus on planning your wedding. Sign up to Bridebook today to plan your perfect big day.
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Happy Planning!
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