Hosting & Gatherings

Elegant backyard engagement party: how we hosted ours on a budget

By Liz Lovery · Updated June 3, 2026

Planning your own engagement party is interesting…

Pros: you have full control over everything. If you’re anything like me, being in control is kinda like “your thing”. When you’re detail oriented, everything matters. Whether it’s deciding on all the important things like the food, drinks, and venue, and all the way to the most seemingly irrelevant little detail like what color chalk to use on the chalkboard sign. I kid you not, all these things mattered to me. So, planning it seemed like a no-brainer.

Cons: you have full control over everything. At first, planning my own engagement party seemed like a great idea. But, in hindsight, having full control of such an important occasion is a lot of responsibility! I remember at one point on the day of the party, we were walking to meet my family for brunch, just a few blocks away from our loft. And then, out of nowhere, I snapped. I nearly had a panic attack because it finally hit me—there was still so much to do and not nearly enough time to do it. I was overwhelmed with stress and anxiety and all I wanted to do was race over to the location of the party and finish everything right then and there. Needless to say, our brunch was relatively brief and involved a lot of mimosas.

Despite the stress of trying to get everything finished, I wouldn’t have been able to get it all put together in time if I didn’t have help. But, if I can give any brides out there a piece of advice, it’s to ask for help and delegate tasks to reliable people if you’re planning and throwing your own engagement party! In the end, our engagement party was absolutely magical and Ryan and I both feel so loved, supported, and grateful that so many of our family and friends came to celebrate our engagement!

Here’s the honest headline before we get into the details: an engagement party does not have to cost a fortune to feel elegant. Most venue rentals alone run anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000, and a typical engagement party lands somewhere between $1,500 and $10,000 once you add food, drinks, and decor. We pulled off an elegant evening for roughly 30 guests for a fraction of that — mostly by hosting in a backyard and being intentional about where the money went. So with that said, I’m so excited to finally share all the details from our elegant backyard engagement party with you!

Venue

Location: A private residence in the Kensington neighborhood of San Diego.

When Ryan and I were on the hunt for a place to host our engagement party, we realized that venues are expensive. I’m not even talking about big wedding venues, no, I’m talking about simple venues for hosting small gatherings! Even hosting a private party at a restaurant will cost you an arm and a leg but offer very little wiggle room for personal touches. And when you consider the cost of booking a venue for an engagement party with all the other expenses, it can add up quickly. We reached out to a few different places we thought would be great options for us, but none of them were able to offer what we were looking for within our budget.

In the end, Ryan’s parents were so generous to offer up their home for the party, and boy was that the best decision we ever made! Not only did we save a ton of money on booking a venue, but we were able to maintain full control over every detail—from the date and time it would take place, the layout, the decor, the food and drinks, the flow of the evening, not to mention the privacy! That, above all, was the icing on the cake. Having a backyard engagement party was exactly what we wanted, we just didn’t realize it.

Food

This may just be my opinion, but I think your food choice can really dictate the vibe of your engagement party. For example, Ryan and I really wanted to have an environment that was conducive for meeting new people and sparking quality conversation. Immediately, I ruled out buffet-style. Reason being, whenever I’ve gone to a buffet-style party, there’s always some people eating while others are still standing in line like herding cattle. I much prefer a family style dinner where everyone can sit together, break bread, and enjoy each other’s company. Here’s what we ended up going with.

Appetizers: Charcuterie table

For appetizers, we ended up going with a classic charcuterie table, of course! I personally love charcuterie and know so many of my guests loved it too. One thing I considered when deciding on appetizers was that I wanted people to graze freely. The charcuterie table was a perfect option because it provided enough variety and sustenance to keep everyone happy and satisfied until the main course. If you’ve never made a charcuterie table (or charcuterie board, for that matter), be sure to check out my blog post on how to make the perfect charcuterie board. I actually used my shopping list (included in the post) when I did all the grocery shopping for the charcuterie table. I just multiplied the list by 2 to ensure I had enough food for such a large crowd.

Dinner: Tender Greens

If you’ve never had Tender Greens catering before, let me enlighten you. Their food is AMAZING and their menu includes a variety of different types of chicken, beef, fish, and vegetarian dishes, salads, side dishes like mashed potatoes, rice, seasonal veggies, bread, and more! For us, this was the perfect variety of what I would consider a good ‘ol fashion family-style dinner. Meat, potatoes, salad, veggies, and bread. BOOM. What’s even better is the price! It’s only $12.50 per person for catering. This includes two choices of protein, two sides, and bread served family style. You can also order additional sides a la carte, which we did.

Dessert: Nothing Bundt Cakes Bundtinis

I mean, does this section even need an introduction? I can’t even tell you how much of a hit these little Bundtinis were. So much so, that I, the BRIDE, didn’t even get to enjoy one because they were demolished so quickly! If you’ve never had a Bundtini before, it’s basically a cupcake sized version of a bundt cake. Bundt cakes are super moist and come in a variety of different flavors with delicious cream cheese frosting. What’s great about ordering from Nothing Bundt Cakes, is they come by the dozen and you can essentially “create your own” dozen by selecting from up to 11 different flavors to be included in every order. The fact that the Bundtinis are cupcake sized bundt cakes, it made distributing them a breeze and people can grab them as they please. And for only $25 per dozen, it’s well worth it!

Beverages

For our engagement party, we decided to go with a variety of beer, wine, hard seltzer, and margaritas! People often wonder how much alcohol to buy for an engagement party. I did! I actually found an alcoholic drink calculator online that helps determine how much you’ll need for a large party depending on the number of guests, how long the party is, what type of alcohol you plan on using, and how much your guests drink, on average. We had approximately 30 guests and this is what we got:

Beer

• 25 Sculpin IPA
• 25 Pacifico

Wine

• 6 (375 ml) bottles red
• 4 (750 ml) bottles—one red, one white

Cocktails

We made two jugs (6 qt jugs) of homemade margaritas—one was traditional flavor but we had diced jalapeños on the side, and one was a strawberry margarita with fresh strawberries. We used:

• 1 (750 ml) bottle of Kirkland Signature Tequila (used in both mixes)
• 4 bottles of margarita mix

Liquor/Seltzer

• 24 White Claws
• 2 (650 ml) bottles of Kirkland Signature Vodka (we could have gone without this as none of our guests opted for vodka)
• 1 extra (750 ml) bottle of Kirkland tequila (for shots, duh)

Non-alcoholic

• 24 soda waters
• Tap water

Bar Fixin’s

• Jalapeños
• Strawberries
• Limes
• Ice

We also had a large drink bucket so guests can grab drinks around the dinner table without having to walk up to the bar.

Furniture Rental

Rentals: Farm and Fields Events

The minute we decided to have the engagement party at Ryan’s parents’ backyard, I immediately knew that I wanted the tables to be the focal point of the decor and that rustic farm tables was the way to go. After a long search online, I came across Farm and Fields Events, located in Ramona. Their collection of table rentals was exactly what I was looking for and the prices were very reasonable considering the competition. What I loved about this place was they deliver the furniture for you (which was a pretty hefty fee, but it’s worth it for what I’m about to tell you). Okay, so the delivery fee is steep but they will drop off your rentals an entire day before your event and pick them up the day after your event! This was HUGE for me because I wanted to set as much of the party up the night before and, obviously, didn’t want to rush through the party in order to meet a pick up deadline. My experience with Farm and Fields Events couldn’t have been any better! The total cost of the tables with the delivery fee was more than we were hoping to pay, but in the end it was well worth it for the quality, service, and aesthetic we were going for. For approximately 30 guests, we ordered:

• 4 Traditional Farm Tables (with 2 benches per table)
• 3 Farm Style Cocktail Tables

Decorations

The decorations were definitely the biggest time-consumer when planning this party! In the end, it’s all about the details, so naturally, there were a lot of decorations. We were definitely going for more of a neutral color scheme so I stuck to white and gold. Mostly everything I ordered was on Amazon, believe it or not, and a few additional items I found at Target. If you want the table to feel finished, it helps to think through your table settings the same way you’d plan a tablescape for any gathering. Here is a list of everything I ordered, and I’ll link everything at the end of the post:

• Table centerpieces
  • Dinner table centerpieces
  • Cocktail table centerpieces
• Table settings
• Signs & photos
• Photo backdrop—I think I may have to do an entire blog post on the photo backdrop because Ryan built it! Stay tuned for the step-by-step tutorial on how he built the frame for under $10!

For the photo backdrop, Ryan built the frame himself, and I dressed it with a white drape, a eucalyptus-and-white-rose garland, and our “future mr & mrs” sign. It doubled as the prettiest spot for guests to take photos all night.

For the signs, I had a little fun with the details — including the “Our Love Story” chalkboard that walked our guests through our timeline, from the day we were introduced to the fall we’d be tying the knot.

Photography

If you’re planning or hosting an engagement party, trust me when I say to HIRE A PHOTOGRAPHER! I can’t tell you how happy we are that we decided to hire a professional to document our special day. When you’re hosting a large party, the last thing you want to do is not be present and enjoy yourself because you’re trying to document everything. And you also don’t want to be so caught up in your party that you forget to document anything at all. Both options are terrible if you ask me. The best way to ensure that not only are you and your guests spending quality time together and are enjoying yourselves, but also have photos and memories of that night that you will cherish forever, is to hire a photographer.

My good friend Alexis is an amazing photographer so it was a no-brainer to ask her to shoot our engagement party! If you’re looking for a talented photographer who is super easy to work with, you should definitely hire her! Not to mention, she’s just as sweet as can be! For inquiries, you can visit her website or her social media to contact her.

Entertainment

Now, if you’ve ever attended a party of mine before, you know it isn’t a party unless a game is played! So, in true Liz fashion, we played a game. We ended up going with The Wedding Shoe Game that would be played after dinner. Here’s how you play.

Each party guest is given a paper with a list of different scenarios/behaviors. Beside each scenario is an option for them to circle either “Bride” or “Groom”. Now, depending on the scenario listed, they circle who they think that scenario applies to.

Here’s where it gets interesting. After everyone has circled their guesses, the Bride and Groom sit in two chairs facing back-to-back while each holding one of their own shoes and the other’s shoe, and vice versa. The host of the game will then read each scenario out loud and the Bride and Groom will lift the shoe of the person they think that scenario best applies to between the two of them. For example, if the scenario is “who initiated the first kiss?”, both Ryan and I would hold up his shoe. But if, for whatever reason, the Bride and Groom disagree and their responses don’t match, the question is a wash. For example, if the scenario was “who is the messiest?”, and we each chose each other, the question isn’t eligible for any points. At the end of the game, the guest with the most points wins a prize! For us, we gifted our top two winners with a nice bottle of red wine.

I found this pre-made Wedding Shoe Game printout on Etsy for just a few dollars which was super helpful because it saved me a bunch of time. It’s a digital download for the template and you just need to print them.

If you want to put your own list together, aim for somewhere around 15 to 30 questions — enough to get everyone laughing without losing the room. Here are some of the ones that are always a hit:

• Who said “I love you” first?
• Who initiated the first kiss?
• Who is the better cook?
• Who is the messiest?
• Who is always running late?
• Who is the better driver?
• Who spends more money?
• Who is more stubborn?
• Who is the bigger flirt?
• Who apologizes first after an argument?
• Who takes longer to get ready?
• Who is the better dancer?
• Who controls the TV remote?
• Who will be the stricter parent?
• Who is more likely to plan a surprise?

A quick tip: start with the easy, sweet ones to warm everyone up, then work toward the funnier “who’s the messiest” type questions once the crowd is into it.

What it cost (and where we saved)

Here’s the part everyone actually wants to know. The reason a backyard engagement party can look elegant without the elegant price tag is simple: the venue is usually the single biggest line item, and we removed it entirely by hosting at Ryan’s parents’ home. For context, engagement party venue rentals typically run $2,000 to $10,000 on their own, and the all-in cost of an engagement party commonly lands between $1,500 and $10,000+.

Where our money actually went was the rentals, the food, and the decor — and even those stayed reasonable. The farm tables (with delivery) were our biggest splurge, but they doubled as the decor, so they earned their keep. Catering through Tender Greens was just $12.50 per person, dessert from Nothing Bundt Cakes was $25 per dozen, and most of the decorations came from Amazon and Target in a simple white-and-gold palette. Buying our own beer, wine, and margarita supplies — and mixing the cocktails ourselves — kept the bar far cheaper than any hosted-bar package.

If you’re working backward from a budget, that’s the order I’d protect: skip the venue, invest in the tables (or whatever your one focal point is), keep the food family-style, and DIY the bar.

Backyard engagement party FAQ

How much does a backyard engagement party cost?

Engagement parties commonly cost between $1,500 and $10,000+, with venue rentals alone running $2,000 to $10,000. Hosting in a backyard removes the venue cost entirely, so your budget goes to rentals, food, and decor. Our biggest expenses were farm-table rentals and family-style catering at $12.50 per person.

How much alcohol do you need for an engagement party of 30 guests?

For about 30 guests, we bought 50 beers, 10 bottles of wine, two large jugs of homemade margaritas (one tequila bottle plus margarita mix), 24 hard seltzers, and 24 soda waters. An online alcoholic drink calculator helps you adjust for guest count, party length, and how much your guests typically drink.

What food should you serve at an engagement party?

A family-style dinner keeps everyone seated together and sparks conversation better than a buffet line. We served a grazing charcuterie table for appetizers, family-style catering from Tender Greens for the main course, and Nothing Bundt Cakes Bundtinis for dessert so guests could grab one whenever they liked.

How do you play the wedding shoe game?

The bride and groom sit back-to-back, each holding one of their own shoes and one of their partner’s. A host reads scenarios like “who initiated the first kiss?” and each person raises the shoe of whoever fits best. Guests guess the answers in advance on a printout, and whoever gets the most right wins a prize.

Where can you rent farm tables for a backyard party?

Local event-rental companies are the place to look. We rented rustic farm tables and farm-style cocktail tables from Farm and Fields Events in Ramona, near San Diego. The big advantage was delivery the day before and pickup the day after, which let us set up the night before without rushing.

Is a backyard engagement party a good idea?

Yes — it’s one of the most affordable and personal ways to celebrate. Hosting at home saves the venue cost and gives you full control over the date, layout, decor, food, and flow of the evening, plus the privacy of a space that’s your own. It was exactly what we wanted, we just didn’t realize it.