What Should I Expect at a Rehearsal Dinner?

It's important to practise walking down the aisle in order at the wedding rehearsal so that everything goes smoothly on the big day.

As for the other advantage? Following the dress rehearsal, the cast and crew enjoy a meal together. This pre-party is the first event of a wedding weekend full of celebrations.

The most significant aspect of a rehearsal dinner is the time it gives the two sets of parents to bond in advance of the wedding.

You want everything to go perfectly on your wedding day because it is such a special day. If you want to make sure it does, one way is to put in some time at the rehearsal.

After the wedding ceremony rehearsal, the happy couple and their special guests will enjoy a delicious meal together, complete with gift-giving and celebratory toasts.

This party is a great way to kick off the wedding weekend and celebrate with close friends and family of the happy couple.

Due to the complexity involved, we have compiled all the information you will need to organise a successful rehearsal dinner.

We have everything you need to throw a fantastic bridal shower, from etiquette advice to suggestions for decorations. Check out our Top Wedding Planners here to help make your special day as smooth as possible.

Everything you need to know to throw a fantastic rehearsal dinner for the wedding is right here.

What Is a Wedding Rehearsal Dinner?

The night before the big day, guests will gather for a rehearsal dinner.

There is an event following the dress rehearsal.

It's a joyous occasion with the couple's closest friends and family members present, along with delicious food and heartfelt speeches.

What's the History of the Rehearsal Dinner?

It's not easy to pin down exactly when the rehearsal dinner started being a staple of the wedding tradition.

There is, however, one assumption that can be made with reasonable certainty: their meteoric rise to prominence coincided with the formalisation of weddings from their more informal roots in churches or backyard barbecues.

As a result, the wedding industry as we know it today has been expanding steadily since its inception in the 1950s.

The importance of holding a ceremony rehearsal and gathering crucial friends and family memes increased as weddings became more elaborate and costly.

The only way to ensure that everything goes off without a hitch at this wedding is to have a dress rehearsal.

When you factor in the now-common presence of photographers and videographers, you can see how crucial it is for everyone to be in the right spot at the right time.

What Happens at a Wedding Rehearsal Dinner?

The rehearsal dinner is a meal shared by the couple and their invited guests. The host of the rehearsal dinner will typically make the first toast of the evening.

The couple may also raise a glass to their parents or other loved ones. It's also a great time for the happy couple to present their parents and bridal party with gifts.

Who Hosts the Rehearsal Dinner?

Traditionally, the bride's family would host the wedding and the groom's would host the rehearsal dinner.

However, these norms are antiquated and exclude many engaged couples, such as those who identify as LGBTQ+ or whose parents are not footing the bill for the ceremony.

The rehearsal dinner host is determined on an as-needed basis. It could be a member of the couple's family, some of the guests, or even the couple themselves.

Who to Invite to Your Rehearsal Dinner

If the couple knows and trusts the officiant, they may choose to have them attend the ceremony.

In order to provide your out-of-town guests with a more memorable experience, you may wish to invite them to the rehearsal dinner.

Before sending out invitations to the rehearsal dinner, the couple should finalise the guest list.

After finalising the guest list, you can send out invitations by consulting our sample wording for a rehearsal dinner invitation.

What to Wear to a Rehearsal Dinner for an Epic Photo Opp

What to wear to a rehearsal dinner is highly regulated by custom (like the bride wearing white or everyone dressing formally).

The dress code for the rehearsal dinner, however, is up to you. Instead, if you'd like to throw a party, you can have a backyard barbeque or a party with a specific theme.

Feel free to let loose and have fun at the rehearsal dinner; it's another chance to make a good impression.

Of course, if the rehearsal location has a suggested dress code (like a church or a fancy restaurant), you should adhere to it.

If you prefer to dress down, that's fine; the rehearsal dinner is a casual event.

Who Pays for the Rehearsal Dinner?

The groom's parents traditionally host and foot the bill for the rehearsal dinner on the Friday night before the wedding.

However, modern custom dictates that at least one set of parents pay for a wedding, if not both.

Today, the rehearsal dinner is typically taken care of by the newlyweds as part of their wedding costs.

What Exactly Happens at a Rehearsal Dinner?

It's up to you whether the rehearsal dinner is a formal sit-down meal or a casual barbeque in the backyard, but there are a few things you should include in the schedule.

What really goes down at a rehearsal dinner, according to our experts.

Dinner

The very first is to obtain sustenance. It wouldn't be a rehearsal dinner if there wasn't dinner, whether you're having it with just your immediate families or inviting everyone on the guest list for a pre-wedding feast.

Gifts

If you don't want to give gifts to your parents and wedding party on the actual wedding day, the rehearsal dinner is a great time to do so.

There will be fewer people there, giving you and them more time to exchange gifts.

Toasts

Traditional opening ceremonies include toasts from the event's hosts and the groom to his new bride and her family.

At this time, you and your partner can raise your glasses and give a more heartfelt toast to your friends, family, and wedding guests.

Do you wish to limit the number of guests who will have the opportunity to speak at your wedding?

Reduce the amount of time spent at the microphone at your reception by having some of the toasts given at the rehearsal dinner.

Those who wish to make light of the situation are encouraged to do so at the rehearsal dinner, where they will be more welcome.

Dessert

Okay, time for dessert. At the rehearsal dinner, the groom's cake is also served.

It's not the wedding cake, but it's a great dessert option for any celebration.

How to Plan a Rehearsal Dinner

Create a Checklist

Do not discount the usefulness of checklists when learning how to organise a dress rehearsal.

Even though the atmosphere at the rehearsal dinner will be much more relaxed than at the ceremony or reception, it is still important to keep up the same level of organisation and note taking that you did for those other parts of the big day.

To plan the rehearsal dinner, you can either use the information in this post or make your own checklist.

Make use of modern communication tools by creating a digital document that can be shared with other hosts or co-hosts.

Choose a Host for the Rehearsal Dinner

According to custom, these costs should be covered by whichever family did not foot the bill for the wedding itself.

The cost of the rehearsal dinner can be divided between the two families, just like the wedding itself.

Keep in mind that the person or organisation footing the bill will most likely have the final say.

To save money, some engaged couples decide to pay for the rehearsal dinner themselves, which grants them complete control over the menu, venue, and other aspects of the event.

The host also has the additional duties of welcoming guests and making a brief toast.

Work with the venue to find a coordinator, or take control of the situation yourself, if you need someone to host the evening and make sure everything goes smoothly. Check out our Top Wedding Planners here to help make your special day as smooth as possible.

Simply put, there is no single, definitive method for choosing a host, and the process for doing so, along with all the related logistics, varies from rehearsal to rehearsal.

Nail Down the Budget

The total cost of the ceremony and reception, divided by 30, is a good ballpark figure to stick to.

Consider the median amount that engaged couples spend on rehearsal dinners (approximately $1,400) when setting your budget.

The cost per person for a moderately priced meal and drinks should be between $30 and $70.

If money is tight:

• It's worth thinking about having a potluck at someone's house.
• You can have breakfast for lunch or brunch for supper.
• Find a place that allows you to bring your own alcohol.
• Only invite parents and the wedding party.

Pick a Theme or Tone

Use your wedding theme as the basis for your rehearsal dinner.

Alternately, you could go with a theme based on a colour scheme, a type of venue, or a symbol that has special meaning to the two of you.

If your first dance was to Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra, you could decorate with suitcases and aeroplanes.

Mini-golf tournaments, fondue dinners, and blackjack tournaments are also common activities for rehearsal dinners.

To rephrase: enjoy yourself to the fullest!

Typically, a rehearsal dinner will have a more relaxed atmosphere than the actual wedding.

Take advantage of this time to get to know each other better, have some laughs, and kick back before the big day.

Decide on a Date

The night before the wedding is traditionally reserved for the rehearsal dinner. That's why if your big day is on Saturday, the rehearsal dinner is on Friday.

Do not, however, feel obligated to stick to this timetable. Considerations such as temperature, cost, and availability of transportation should be made.

If, for instance, the rehearsal dinner is on a Friday and the wedding is on Sunday, your guests will have the weekend to themselves to rest and recuperate before the weekend's events.

You may also find that a rehearsal dinner is impossible to accommodate everyone at once once you have the full schedule laid out.

In that case, you need not fret. You can provide snacks for the rehearsal, or you can choose to not provide any.

It's important to keep in mind that if the events are too close together, your guests may become overwhelmed.

Book a Venue

You don't have to stick to convention if you don't want to; a restaurant is the typical location for a rehearsal dinner.

How about a park, plaza, theatre, mansion, or resort for the rehearsal dinner? Just do it! Catering is available at some event spaces; however, you are always welcome to hire your own.

Find the perfect location for the rehearsal dinner by narrowing your search based on aesthetics, scenery, type, cost, and the number of guests.

Following that, select additional search criteria, such as BYOB policies, to further narrow down the list.

The next step is to secure the venue with a custom quote and your prefered date. Get a final approval from your host or co-host before making a payment.

Keep all contracts and cancellation policies, including those for the location of the rehearsal dinner, in a binder or digital files for easy access.

Create the Rehearsal Dinner Guest List

Always have the wedding party and close family members attend the rehearsal dinner.

Guests' parents should be invited to the wedding if any of the guests are children.

Don't forget to express your gratitude to the officiant, priest, or any other key person who played a role in the ceremony.

Extend the invitation to out-of-town guests if you have the space to do so as a gesture of your appreciation.

Come up With a Menu

You should coordinate with the restaurant or other location you've chosen for the rehearsal dinner to come up with a menu that fits within your financial constraints.

It's perfectly adequate to fill up on a soup or salad, an entrée, a dessert, and a few drinks (like wine or beer).

Raise the bar with speciality cocktails or go for a laid-back BBQ.

Guests who will also be present at your reception should have already informed you of any special dietary needs they may have, but if not, be sure to include a note on your guest list reminding them to do so.

Send Out Invitations

It is customary to send out invitations to the rehearsal dinner following the wedding invitations, but no later than 30 days before the ceremony. A week or two before the rehearsal dinner, make sure everyone who plans on attending has confirmed their attendance.

Due to the casual nature of the event, eco-friendly digital invitations from services like Paperless Post are appropriate.

Go for paper invitations that match, but don't outshine, your wedding invites if you want your rehearsal dinner to feel more lavish.

Plan the Evening

The average length of a rehearsal dinner is three hours.

Guests who are attending both the wedding rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner should be given at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to get from one to the other.

Rehearsal dinners can involve anything from watching a game to grilling out, so make sure you leave enough time for everything.

If your event consists solely of a meal, you should spend the first half hour mingling with guests and taking drink orders.

The meal itself should last between an hour and a half an hour. Allow 10-20 minutes between the main course and dessert for toasts, presents, and other events.

Gather Decorations

Inquire about any special touches the venue may offer, such as custom signage or decorations, that can be used to welcome and direct guests.

If you've settled on a backyard or outdoor venue, you can also make your own banners, balloon bouquets, and table centrepieces.

Consider reusing some of the reception's purchased or made decorations to ensure visual cohesion.

Assign Roles

Make sure you have a backup host planned in case the person who paid for the rehearsal dinner doesn't want to host.

Make sure you know what the home's owner wants and doesn't want before the rehearsal dinner begins if it's being held there.

Another essential role is that of a coordinator, who will be responsible for handling last-minute questions from the caterer and keeping track of the evening's itinerary.

Confirm Bookings

Get in touch with the restaurant, catering service, or event space at least a week before the big day to make sure everything is set.

Inform everyone of the current status of the guest list, any special diets, and the evening's agenda. Make sure the host is copied on any correspondence or informed of any changes made without their knowledge.

Make it Personal

With a smaller guest list, the rehearsal dinner can be personalised with references to the couple's shared interests, foods, and/or the story of how they met and fell in love.

You can have fun with the naming of everything from the drinks to the table settings.

You'd be surprised at how much those little touches add up to make a big impression on your guests. Thus, relax your analytical faculties and allow this to unfold more naturally.

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Make it Comfortable

The rehearsal dinner is a great opportunity for the wedding party and their close friends and family to get together before the big day.

In order to make sure everyone has a good time, it's important to set the mood in a way that makes small talk among people who have never met before easy.

The next day, everyone will be able to greet each other without having to go through the couple to be introduced.

Keep it Short

This is because your wedding is the following day. The day of the wedding,, will be hectic, so the rehearsal dinner is not the place for a wild celebration.

Get going when it's practical to do so and, more importantly, wrap up when it's ideal. Typically, two hours is the most time you need to plan for a rehearsal dinner.

It will also serve as a signal to your guests that it is time for them to head home, cutting down on the amount of time they have to indulge in food and drink before it is time to leave.

Share a Moment

Waters suggests that engaged couples make an effort to speak with each guest at the rehearsal dinner.

At this point, the wedding party will have a good grasp on proceedings, so you may wish to spend some extra time with your out-of-town guests.

If you haven't been in close quarters with them in a while, it's especially important to express your joy at their presence and your anticipation of catching up with them. Cosmopolitan events are your ultimate Wedding Reception Venue to create your dream wedding.

Hugging them, making eye contact, and saying "thank you" will go a long way with those visitors. People who have travelled a long distance to be there are likely to be overjoyed at having made the effort, so showing them some gratitude for their presence will do wonders for your reputation.

Conclusion

The opportunity for the two sets of parents to get to know one another is the most valuable part of a rehearsal dinner. An entire weekend of festivities will centre around the wedding, and this pre-party is the first step in the preparations. After the wedding party's dress rehearsal, everyone celebrates with a sumptuous meal. In the rehearsal dinner, the couple and their guests eat together before the wedding. The first toast at a rehearsal dinner is traditionally made by the host.

Gifts for the couple's parents and bridal party can also be exchanged at this time. Just what does a rehearsal dinner entail? Like the wedding itself, the cost of the rehearsal dinner can be divided between the families of the host and the host. It's crucial to keep the same level of planning as the rest of the big day. We usually have the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding.

We recommend spending around $1,400 on the rehearsal dinner as this is the average amount spent by engaged couples. Think about how your guests might feel if they had to go from one event straight into another. You are not obligated to bring refreshments to the dress rehearsal. Some event venues provide catering services, but it is always acceptable to bring in your own if you prefer. Dinners before a performance can consist of anything from watching the game to cooking over an open fire.

A typical rehearsal dinner will last around three hours. If there are any changes or correspondence that needs to be made, make sure the host is copied in. Prior to the big day, you need to make sure that everything is in order. Before the big day, the wedding party and their closest friends and family can relax and enjoy a meal together at the rehearsal dinner. Create an atmosphere where strangers feel comfortable striking up conversations. Get cosy, keep it short, and cover up when the weather calls for it.

Content Summary

• This pre-party is the first event of a wedding weekend full of celebrations.
• Everything you need to know to throw a fantastic rehearsal dinner for the wedding is right here.
• The night before the big day, guests will gather for a rehearsal dinner.
• Before sending out invitations to the rehearsal dinner, the couple should finalise the guest list.
• It's up to you whether the rehearsal dinner is a formal sit-down meal or a casual barbeque in the backyard, but there are a few things you should include in the schedule.
• At the rehearsal dinner, the groom's cake is also served.
• To plan the rehearsal dinner, you can either use the information in this post or make your own checklist.
• Use your wedding theme as the basis for your rehearsal dinner.
• The night before the wedding is traditionally reserved for the rehearsal dinner.
• Always have the wedding party and close family members attend the rehearsal dinner.
• You should coordinate with the restaurant or other location you've chosen for the rehearsal dinner to come up with a menu that fits within your financial constraints.
• Go for paper invitations that match, but don't outshine, your wedding invites if you want your rehearsal dinner to feel more lavish.
• The average length of a rehearsal dinner is three hours.
• Typically, two hours is the most time you need to plan for a rehearsal dinner.
• Share a MomentWaters suggests that engaged couples make an effort to speak with each guest at the rehearsal dinner.