Planning your Wedding Rehearsal dinner
The rehearsal dinner has finally arrived. It's the end of road
for some couples, or the beginning of the wedding weekend
madness for others. It just depends how you look at it.
And even though it seems like all of the planning should be
focused on the actual wedding, the rehearsal dinner should not
be overlooked.
Who comes
The rehearsal dinner was meant to be a way for the out of town
guests to meet each other before the actual wedding day. But you
can invite anyone that you think might like to come out for the
evening.
Most couples invite their families and wedding parties as well
as anyone else from out of town. And others decide that whoever
comes to the actual rehearsal will be invited to the dinner.
It's entirely up to you.
It is easier to invite those that are going to be at the
rehearsal as you'll all be in one place and just move to
another. Where to have it
The number of guests as well as the budget will determine where
you want to have your rehearsal dinner. It can be easier to have
it at a restaurant due to the ease of having a varied menu that
everyone can choose from, but this can become expensive too. You
may want to limit the menu for the guests in order to keep costs
low.
Another option is to have the rehearsal dinner at someone's
home. This works out great for a smaller group and can be easily
planned with a few calls and a few trips to the store.
What happens at the rehearsal dinner
This is really the chance for the bride and the groom to get to
talk to everyone without being caught up in their wedding day.
They may give a short speech or note of thanks to everyone that
has helped them get to their wedding day.
Sometimes, the couple will hand out gifts for their wedding
party at the dinner. This isn't necessary, but with all of the
hard work many of the people in the party have done--it's a
great way to show your appreciation (as well as give them a
final push though the last day).
A rehearsal dinner is a casual time for the guests to get
together and enjoy themselves. If there are any last minute
details to be worked out, this is the time.
Make sure that you relax and bask in the glow of your upcoming
ceremony. The stress is almost over.