Practice-Run Festivities
Michelle Goodman
Tradition dictates that on the eve of your wedding the bridal party meets to rehearse the ceremony, allowing the bride and groom, their parents, the attendants, and other participants the opportunity for a run-through of the following day’s ceremony. After walking down the aisle without music and saying abbreviated vows without an officiant, the bridal party gathers for a dinner to celebrate the upcoming event. The rehearsal dinner is a great way for families and friends of the bride and groom to meet, relax, and have fun before the big day. It has become the grand kickoff to the wedding festivities. For brides seeking rehearsal dinner guidance, we have put together some planning tips and great ideas for you to consider for your pre-wedding event.
First, you must decide on whom to invite. The guest list usually includes the bride’s and groom’s parents and the entire wedding party with their spouses or dates. However, there are no rules, and if you choose, you can have a big bash and invite all of your out-of town guests. It can be a great opportunity to take advantage of some quality time with visiting friends and relatives – as you will be more relaxed than at the wedding and have more time to chat. While the rehearsal dinner is traditionally hosted by the groom’s parents, anyone can host it, such as the bride’s parents or a close family member or friend.
The next step is choosing the location for the rehearsal dinner. Be creative if you like. Combine the location, time of year, and your interests to create the perfect party atmosphere. For example, plan a dinner with local flavor. Serve hometown specialties, especially if you’re introducing out-of-towners to your local cuisine.
Do something besides eat. Throw the party on a casino boat, so guests can gamble the night away. Or karaoke. Remember the scene in “My Best Friend’s Wedding”? If you’re getting married in the summer or warm weather, consider an open-air dinner, which enhances the festive spirit. If the wedding’s in the winter or during cooler months, you may want to have the dinner in an airy, windowed garden room to create your own private springtime.
Wondering what to have for dinner? You can have a formal feast or a more relaxed one. Many couples choose an informal rehearsal dinner in order to keep things laid back before the wedding activities, which follow the next day or two. Sometimes, the more formal the wedding, the less formal the rehearsal dinner should be. The formal wedding will be nicer and more fun because the most important people are already acquainted with each other. Many experts agree that you should actually plan something fun and simple for your rehearsal dinner. After you and your fiancé have worked so hard planning the wedding together, you deserve to enjoy this evening with each other and your friends and family.
Another idea to consider is a rehearsal lunch. If you want to reserve the evening before your wedding for just yourselves, a rehearsal lunch may be the perfect solution. And if it’s scheduled earlier in
the day of the wedding it may be more convenient for everyone. Rehearsal lunches work beautifully as both formal and informal affairs.
Another huge element usually incorporated into any type of rehearsal festivities is the toasting. This is a great opportunity to thank loved ones as you may not have the time to publicly toast them at the wedding reception. Gifts are also given during the rehearsal dinner to the couple’s attendants. Additionally, you may want to present a token of appreciation and thanks to anyone else who was an integral part of the wedding planning process.
Should you send out invitations? According to some wedding planning experts, that depends on your dinner. If you are having a big party with a lot of out-of-town guests, you should send invitations.They can be either formally engraved or handwritten on cards, depending on the occasion's formailty. You'll want people to RSVP so you'll have a tally for the caterer or resturant . If you are having somewhat of a low key event, then invitationsare not necessary. Instead a phone call is sufficient.