When having a rehearsal dinner you should have it take place sometime after the wedding rehearsal. Most of the time the dinner will take place the day before the wedding ceremony. The rehearsal dinner is a great time for all of your friends and family to get together and meet one another.
The rehearsal dinner is usually hosted by the grooms parents. Although it is your wedding and you can have anyone host the dinner. The host should be actively involved in the planning of the dinner. They should know where and when the event is taking place and have some basic ideas about the dinner.
Your guest list should include the parents of the couple and the wedding party. You should also consider the partners of the wedding party the grandparents and any other meaningful person in the couples lives. You should also consider the Clergy person who will be performing the ceremony and their guest. Make sure that the size of the dinner meets the couples budget.
Next you should start to shop around for a place to have your rehearsal dinner. You should consider your favorite restaurant, your home, park or have a bbq. Just keep in mind that you will possibly be having out of town guests so make sure you give them clear and accurate directions.
You should send out invitations and request a reply to get a good idea of how many people are going to be at the rehearsal dinner. When you get a good estimate of how many people are coming you can start to work your budget into the process.
For your food you should consider having a wide variety to fit all tastes. You should have a variety of vegetables, meats and finger foods. It is up to you to choose if you are going to have a formal or relaxed meal time. Most choose to have a relaxing a fun atmosphere to keep everyone relaxed before the wedding ceremony. The couple and the host will usually give a nice toast to everyone to thank them for coming a being a part of the union.
The rehearsal dinner is also the time when you will give your wedding party their gifts. Prepare a nice toast before this event and give a nice thank you to everyone for joining you in such a memorable moment.
Most of all make your rehearsal dinner a very memorable moment for you and all of your guests.
