Bridal Shower or Engagement Party???

An engagement party is soon after the engagement to celebrate the engagement. (Engagement.) a bridal shower is closer to the wedding and is meant to "shower" the couple with gifts to start their married life. You don't have to have either, but you should not host either one--you only get one if someone offers to host for you.

Engagement party usually happens immediately after the couple gets engaged. Someone hosts it for you. You don't get to pick. It only happens if someone OFFERS to throw it for you. Sometimes people will bring a gift or card to this, but it's not necessary at all. Also, it's less gender specific. Honestly, I know 0 people who have ever done this. It's probably just not popular where I live.

Bridal shower typically happens closer to the wedding. The more traditional intention is to "shower" the bride with gifts. This is extremely popular where I live and basically everyone has one. Typically it's the ladies closest to the bride invited. Again, you don't pick, it gets hosted for you only if someone offers. Where I live it's usually the mother or MOH who hosts this for them.

You don't "pick" any pre-wedding parties. These are events hosted by other people for you IF they offer.

An engagement party is for families to celebrate the engagement. It happens close to the time of engagement. A bridal shower is to "shower" the bride with gifts to set up a household, typically from the registry.

An engagement party is thrown within a few months of being engaged. More about celebrating. A bridal shower is for all females and its when you get gifts. Both should be thrown for you, and not planned by you.