Rehearsal dinners used to be just a family and bridal party get-together to get over all the details of the ceremony and the guest seating plan, but in the last decade they have evolved into full-blown events. But there is no need to stress about it, you’ve got less than 24 hours until the big day, so use the rehearsal dinner to just have a fun party with your family and closest friends. Traditionally, the rehearsal dinner was a more formal affair and was given the night before the wedding by the parents of the groom, inviting everyone in both families, in the wedding party, and from out of town. Now, as weddings have often turned into weekend affairs, the rehearsal dinner has become the grand kickoff to the wedding celebration. To help you organize the perfect rehearsal dinner, here are a few good ideas.

host a wedding rehearsal dinner

Agree on who is hosting

Traditionally, it was up to bride’s parents to pay for the wedding, and up to groom’s parents to organize the rehearsal dinner. But today, as we break from tradition in every possible way, anything goes. If your parents are paying for the wedding, it might be nice from you and your future significant other to pay for the rehearsal dinner.

There is nothing wrong in keeping it casual

If you want to keep the rehearsal dinner low-key, just go for it. A relaxed outdoor affair if the season allows it, will entertain your guests, let your families get to know each other in a more casual atmosphere and won’t upstage the wedding. Allow your guests to dress comfortably, keep it casual with a backyard BBQ, catered buffet or cocktail hour, featuring finger foods only. Your guests will appreciate it.

Find a convenient location

There it lots to consider when selecting your rehearsal dinner location. You have to think about whether it fits your budget, is there enough space to comfortably accommodate all of your guests, whether the venue is conveniently located, so your out of town guests do not have to travel again. If you choose a location that’s not near their lodging, it’s a good idea to provide transportation.  Consider holding the rehearsal dinner at your own home or the home of a family member or friend. Doing so would create a cozy atmosphere, and you could serve or have catered a home-style cooked meal of favorite dishes.

Choose a fun theme

A fun way set the tone for the wedding weekend is to incorporate a theme into your rehearsal dinner. Build a party around your cultural background and heritage, or play up the wedding location – this will be the perfect way to get the party started.

casual backyard wedding rehearsal party

The rehearsal dinner is the perfect place to showcase the common interests of you and your partner for life. Think of the things you enjoy doing as a couple, like camping, trips to the beach or sports. Once you’ve settled on a theme, brainstorm different ways to incorporate this into the dinner throughout the event. Hold the party at the site of your first date and name tables after other spots that are meaningful to you. Ultimately the wedding and all the events related should be about you two.

Create the guest list.

The rehearsal dinner guest list is usually made up of the most important wedding guests. This includes the bride and groom, their immediate families, the best man, maid of honor, close extended family, close friends, and those in the wedding party. This group is typically 10-25 people. This size of a group allows the dinner to remain intimate before the larger wedding. If you end up with a long list of people to include, instead of serving a full meal, you can keep costs down by serving only cocktails and desserts or hors d’oeuvres.

Think about the food

When the time comes to choose a menu for your rehearsal dinner, there are certain factors that should be taken into consideration. The easiest way to choose the food would be to host the dinner at your favorite restaurant. If you are having a formal reception, the rehearsal dinner should be semi-formal, so choose a menu that matches the theme of your wedding, but that does not upstage the future reception. If you want to cut food costs, you can throw a casual and inexpensive pizza dinner or a barbecue in your or a family member’s backyard.

Give gifts to the wedding party

The rehearsal dinner is also the traditional time to present gifts to members of the wedding party (especially if the gifts are items you’d like them to wear during the wedding), as well as to the parents, to thank them for their love, guidance, and support.

Make any last-minute friendly reminders

Before the dinner comes to an end, take a moment to slip in any announcements about the wedding day. Double-check that everyone in the wedding party knows what items they’re supposed to bring and when and where they’re expected to arrive to get ready. If you have a larger audience, remind guests about any activities for them the next day, as well as pickup times and locations for transportation you’ve arranged to get them to and from the ceremony.

enjoying your wedding rehearsal

Remember to have fun!

You have worked so hard to plan your wedding, you deserve to enjoy this evening with your significant other and your loved ones. As wedding experts, we recommend that you just relax and have fun!