An engagement party is the first celebration of every couple’s wedding season—the calm before the wedding-planning storm. Whether you’re planning your own engagement party, or hosting one for your favorite couple, here are five Dallas venues perfect for their debut in the wedding world.
The French Room: A formal evening for the traditional couple
Up to 100 guests
The French Room in the historic Adolphus Hotel is the perfect backdrop for a formal engagement party. The gilded design of the restaurant will set the precedent for a Marie Antoinette-esque wedding: classical elegance with just enough drama. Follow the four-course French meal with a triumphant “Let them eat cake!” because you, too, pulled off a fête worthy of history books.
House of Dirt: An eclectic evening to celebrate the creative couple
Up to 100 guests
This unique event venue is perfect for hosting an intimate dinner party. Located in Oak Cliff, House of Dirt (with its vintage decor, flowers, and greenery in a rustic, and redone Bishop Arts District home) is the ideal location for Instagram ops. Cater other Bishop Arts staples like Eno’s, Emporium Pies, or Lockhart Smokehouse and your post-party ‘gram game will be on a different level.
The Mansion Garden: Gatsby-style glamor for the elegant couple
Up to 80 guests
You saw the new Great Gatsby when it came out six years ago, and you’ve been wanting to host a party of that proportion since. The garden at the Mansion on Turtle Creek will fulfill all of those dreams, sans the alarming behavior of Fitzgerald’s characters (we hope!). Magnolia trees and a manicured garden provide the Gatsby-like atmosphere you’re craving. Although you shouldn’t count on DiCaprio to make an appearance, this venue is nonetheless a wonderful spot to host a couple’s family visiting from out of town.
Sundown at Granada: A casual, rooftop dinner party for the laid-back couple
Up to 85 guests seated
This Greenville Avenue restaurant could be considered Dallas’ premiere hipster hangout. Sundown at Granada provides guests with farm-to-table fare, craft beers, and cocktails on a rooftop patio overlooking the restaurant’s garden.
The Meadows Museum: A room with a view for the culturally inclined couple
Up to 110 guests seated, 200 standing
If the happy couple loves art or unique experiences, host a cocktail hour or dinner party inside the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University. A party in Jones Great Hall allows guests to enjoy art while waiting to congratulate the couple, putting less pressure on the bride and groom to entertain the guests at all times.
