Engagement Party

I hope someone can answer this for me:-)

My fiancee, and I are planning a engagement party for July of 2001, are marriage date is April 2002.
1st question; Is that to soon to have a engagement party?

2nd question;
I'm giving candles as a thank you for coming to our engagement party. On the candle i would like to put the date of our engagement party on one side and on the other side of the candle our wedding date. Would that be alright to do? Can I put the wedding date
With it being so far ahead on there or is that not proper etiquette?

Please let me know i'm really at a lost.:-)

Thank you
Terry