Complete Guide for Planning a Rehearsal Dinner
Couples can enjoy multiple celebratory events leading up to their wedding day. You and your loved ones can commemorate this special time in your lives with engagement parties, wedding showers, dress shopping, bachelor or bachelorette parties and rehearsal dinners. The rehearsal dinner is a long-standing tradition for weddings — knowing the ins and outs of planning this event can make this final hoorah before the big day spectacular!
A rehearsal dinner is typically the last big event before your wedding day. This celebration takes place after the wedding ceremony rehearsal and kicks off the big wedding festivities. The rehearsal dinner traditionally involves the wedding party and their dates, both families and out-of-town wedding guests. The guest list for the rehearsal dinner is ultimately up to the couple and anyone financially contributing to this event.
Find your rehearsal dinner ideas and tips for planning your upcoming event in our guide for planning a rehearsal dinner.
How to Plan Your Rehearsal Dinner
Planning your rehearsal dinner is entirely up to you and your partner. Whether you want a low-key gathering or to throw a pre-party before your special day, you'll still need to consider a few steps.
Creating a checklist for your rehearsal dinner can help ensure you don't make any rehearsal dinner mistakes and keep communication clear between you, your partner and the host of the event. Start planning your perfect rehearsal dinner and add these seven main steps to your checklist.
1. Decide on Your Budget
Solidifying your budget will help make the planning process run smoothly. Your budget will help you, your partner and whoever is financially contributing to your rehearsal dinner get a clear understanding of what you can include for this event.
According to The Knot Real Wedding Study, the average cost of a rehearsal dinner sits at around $2300. However, you can throw a nice rehearsal dinner with a budget that's under or over the national average. The cost per person for your rehearsal dinner is dependent on your guest list, venue, decorations and dinner menu.
2. Choose a Venue
Couples are getting creative with their rehearsal dinner venues. A popular venue option is a large table or room at a restaurant, but you can find any venue that will meet your guest list and budget requirements. You can host your rehearsal dinner at a family or friend's house for a more intimate feel. You can have a catering company deliver food or have your loved one cook up a delicious meal for everyone.
Some other venue spaces you can look into are a hotel ballroom or event space, a local park, your favorite bar or other unique spots in your area.
3. Pick Your Date
Picking the rehearsal dinner date is simple. The most common date couples choose is the day before their wedding. However, it depends on the officiant and the venue's schedule. Most of your guests will be in town on the day before the wedding, so it's the best day to ensure everyone on your guest list can make it.
4. Decide on a Theme
You likely chose a theme or a mood for your wedding. A theme includes a color palette, decorations, tones and anything that adds to the visual aspect of your special day. Your rehearsal dinner theme will help you and whoever else is shopping for decorations know the best items to grab. Your theme can also impact your venue choice, dinner menu and attire for the rehearsal dinner.
5. Choose a Menu
Next on your list is one of the essential parts of the rehearsal dinner — the food! Whether you plan to cook the food yourself, place a catering order or dine at a restaurant, you'll want to establish the menu for your dinner.
If you're taking your group out to a restaurant, a helpful tip is to coordinate a special menu for your party. Creating a limited menu helps you stay within your budget and makes the ordering process smoother.
Another tip is to serve up a different meal than the one at your wedding. Spice it up with a local favorite or your partner's and your favorite type of food.
6. Decide on Your Guest List
Deciding who to invite to your rehearsal dinner is completely up to you and your future spouse. That being said, you should generally invite both of your immediate families and your wedding party. You'll also want to invite the parents of any children in your wedding party.
Other guests that typically make the list include your officiant or priest, wedding party plus ones and any out-of-town guests. Creating a guest list is essential for booking your dinner venue and staying within your budget.
7. Send Out Invitations
After gathering your venue, guest list and dinner menu and checking off every task on your list, it's time to send out invitations. You'll send your rehearsal dinner invitations after you send your wedding invitations. You'll want your invites to make it to your potential guests' around 30 days before your big day. This will give you time to gather RSVPs in time for your rehearsal dinner.
Timeline of Events for a Rehearsal Dinner
Your rehearsal dinner is the perfect time to mingle with your loved ones before saying, “I do!” This more intimate setting with your loved ones is the perfect opportunity for you and your partner to relax and enjoy your evening before the excitement of your wedding day.
Whether you plan a backyard dinner or a formal dinner at a restaurant, each rehearsal dinner follows a similar timeline of events:
Dinner: After welcoming all of your guests, it's time to eat! Invite guests to help themselves to the buffet or browse the menu before enjoying the delicious meal.
Gifts: Your rehearsal dinner is the perfect time to hand out gifts to your family, wedding party and other guests that helped with the wedding planning process. The smaller group makes it easier to distribute gifts and share your gratitude with your loved ones.
Toasts: The first person to offer a toast is typically the host of the rehearsal dinner or you and your partner. After the initial toasts, you can invite family members and friends to say a toast. These toasts are less formal than those during your wedding reception — it's good to have some fun during your rehearsal dinner with them!
Dessert: Finally, you'll cap off your rehearsal dinner with some dessert!
Need More Wedding Planning Tips?
Planning your rehearsal dinner is one piece of the puzzle. Find more wedding planning tips and advice on how to organize all of your wedding events with the complete wedding planning guide from Baywood Weddings. Contact us today to learn more about our premier wedding venue.