Planning your Engagement Party

How to Celebrate

There’s no rulebook when it comes to celebrating your engagement, the beauty lies in choosing a style that feels most like you. Some couples love the idea of an intimate afternoon drinks party, others lean towards a styled evening celebration with music and canapés.

At Thetford Farm Barn, you can keep things beautifully simple with the private hire of our Estate Pub or an elevated evening at our beautiful Barn.

To help you get started, we’ve put together a simple, easy-to-use checklist that you can print off and keep by your side as you plan.

Deciding Your Guest List

Start by deciding who you want to celebrate with.
Your engagement party is usually a gathering of close friends and family, the people who will later join you on your wedding day.

Ask yourselves:

Do we want a big celebration in the barn, or something small and intimate at the Estate Pub?

Are we inviting everyone who’ll come to the wedding, or keeping this celebration selective?

Your guest list will naturally guide you toward the perfect setting.

Work out Your Budget

Discuss how much you want to spend on the event and what matters most to you.

Knowing your priorities early on makes it easier to shape the celebration and choose the right options within your budget.

To make planning your engagement party as simple and stress-free as possible, we’ve created a Cost Calculator that does all the hard work for you. Just enter your total budget and our calculator will automatically allocate it into easy, realistic spending categories, from food and drink to décor, entertainment and a ‘buffer’ for those little extras you may not have thought of yet.

Designed to give you instant clarity, it helps you see exactly where your spend will need to be.

Choose a Meaningful Venue 

Your venue sets the tone of the event. Whether it’s a countryside barn, a chic restaurant, a private garden, or a stylish event space, choose somewhere that feels personal or inspires your theme.

With your guest list, budget and style in mind, it’s time to choose the perfect setting.

To help we have added our Celebrations Brochure, just click the button below!

Planning Your Food and Drink

Think about what fits the style of celebration you would like. Food and drink set the tone for your engagement party and the 2026 trends focus on personalised, interactive, and memorable experiences.

Grazing tables and themed boards create a relaxed, stylish atmosphere.

Elevated comfort food such as truffle mac and cheese, wood-fired pizzas and signature cocktails or mocktails bring a personal touch.

Consider any dietary needs and what works best for your chosen space.

Moodboard Inspiration!

Once you know who’s coming, talk about the overall feel you want.

A relaxed countryside celebration
A rustic-chic party with grazing boards and cocktails
A simple toast with your closest loved ones
A full-scale evening party with music, lights and dancing

At Thetford Farm Barn, both our Barn and Estate Pub lend themselves beautifully to different styles of celebration, from cosy and low-key to joyful and lively.

Take a look at some inspiration, Georgia has planned some ideas for you!

Send Out Your Engagement Party Invitations

Once your venue and date are secured, it’s time to invite your guests.

Share the location
Include the date, time and dress code
Ask about dietary requirements
Keep track of RSVPs so you can finalise food and seating

Digital or printed works beautifully, choose whatever suits your style.

Whether your planning a long engagement, a party or your big day, we are here to help you create the occasion you’ve always dreamed of.

📅 Book your visit today and take the first step towards your unforgettable celebration.

Contact our team!  01778 594 222

Book a visit : team@thetfordfarmbarn.co.uk