5 Ways To Make the Rehearsal Dinner Special

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5 Ways To Make the Rehearsal Dinner Special

There’s no real history for the wedding rehearsal dinner, but The Knot suggests that rehearsal dinners became a thing in the 1950s when weddings became more of a theatrical event. Everyone needed a way to come together to be on the same page for the wedding. Today, the rehearsal dinner can be a way for families to have a low-key evening together before the nuptials. The rehearsal dinner can complement the wedding and kick off the festivities. If you’re looking for a way to really make the evening a grand occasion without upstaging the main event, here are some trends in rehearsal dinners.

Pick a Theme

A theme pulls together any party, and a rehearsal dinner is no different. You don’t need to get very elaborate — just choose something that gives you a planning element, such as a favorite color or location. You’re creating an experience for your guests. Even though the rehearsal dinner is a smaller group of people, it’s usually your closest friends and family members, so this gives you an opportunity to be more personal and make the evening more interactive.

Rent a Special Venue

Because this party is smaller than your reception, you can get creative with the location. Hold the rehearsal in the afternoon to let your guests get to the venue at a reasonable hour and get home to sleep before the big day. Look around your community for interesting places: a riverside cruise, the aquarium, a winery or some local attraction. Get creative with the venue for a completely different rehearsal dinner.

Bring in Entertainment

Hire a local band or some other form of entertainment. This eases the host’s duties to make sure everyone is having a good time and lets everyone relax before the big day. Live performers can really infuse personality and fun into your dinner. It doesn’t even have to be musical. Find a flair bartender who turns the cocktail hour into a circus. Acrobats or belly dancers can be very entertaining. Maybe you could have a palm reader or tarot reader to provide personal readings for your guests.

Get Creative With the Rehearsal Menu

Remember all those ideas you had for your wedding reception food that might have been too much for a large party? Use some of those ideas at the rehearsal dinner. Host a chocolate fountain or ice cream sundae bar. Have a fire pit to make s’mores after dinner. Create a large charcuterie board. Develop a couple of special cocktails just for the rehearsal dinner. Indulge in that unique entrée you both loved.

Plan Events for Plus-Ones and Out-of-Town Guests

Every rehearsal dinner has that lull at the beginning when the main party hasn’t arrived but the extras are coming in. Put that time to good use by planning activities for the start of the party. Have a photo booth. The wedding party often doesn’t get a chance to enjoy those amenities at the wedding reception. Have some group games available for guests to play while they’re waiting for the rehearsal to wrap up. Find a way for guests to engage with each other informally to ease any tensions between the dates of the bridal party and family from out of town.

Who Hosts the Rehearsal Dinner?

Traditionally, the groom’s family would host and pay for the rehearsal dinner. As weddings are more diverse, traditions are changing. The one thing you can do to make the rehearsal dinner go a little smoother is determine who is responsible for hosting and planning it. Then turn it over to the host.

Your rehearsal dinner may not be the main event, but it’s okay to make it special. Incorporate these ideas or your own to create a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

5 Ways To Make the Rehearsal Dinner Special

There’s no real history for the wedding rehearsal dinner, but The Knot suggests that rehearsal dinners became a thing in the 1950s when weddings became more of a theatrical event. Everyone needed a way to come together to be on the same page for the wedding. Today, the rehearsal dinner can be a way for families to have a low-key evening together before the nuptials. The rehearsal dinner can complement the wedding and kick off the festivities. If you’re looking for a way to really make the evening a grand occasion without upstaging the main event, here are some trends in rehearsal dinners.

Pick a Theme

A theme pulls together any party, and a rehearsal dinner is no different. You don’t need to get very elaborate — just choose something that gives you a planning element, such as a favorite color or location. You’re creating an experience for your guests. Even though the rehearsal dinner is a smaller group of people, it’s usually your closest friends and family members, so this gives you an opportunity to be more personal and make the evening more interactive.

Rent a Special Venue

Because this party is smaller than your reception, you can get creative with the location. Hold the rehearsal in the afternoon to let your guests get to the venue at a reasonable hour and get home to sleep before the big day. Look around your community for interesting places: a riverside cruise, the aquarium, a winery or some local attraction. Get creative with the venue for a completely different rehearsal dinner.

Bring in Entertainment

Hire a local band or some other form of entertainment. This eases the host’s duties to make sure everyone is having a good time and lets everyone relax before the big day. Live performers can really infuse personality and fun into your dinner. It doesn’t even have to be musical. Find a flair bartender who turns the cocktail hour into a circus. Acrobats or belly dancers can be very entertaining. Maybe you could have a palm reader or tarot reader to provide personal readings for your guests.

Get Creative With the Rehearsal Menu

Remember all those ideas you had for your wedding reception food that might have been too much for a large party? Use some of those ideas at the rehearsal dinner. Host a chocolate fountain or ice cream sundae bar. Have a fire pit to make s’mores after dinner. Create a large charcuterie board. Develop a couple of special cocktails just for the rehearsal dinner. Indulge in that unique entrée you both loved.

Plan Events for Plus-Ones and Out-of-Town Guests

Every rehearsal dinner has that lull at the beginning when the main party hasn’t arrived but the extras are coming in. Put that time to good use by planning activities for the start of the party. Have a photo booth. The wedding party often doesn’t get a chance to enjoy those amenities at the wedding reception. Have some group games available for guests to play while they’re waiting for the rehearsal to wrap up. Find a way for guests to engage with each other informally to ease any tensions between the dates of the bridal party and family from out of town.

Who Hosts the Rehearsal Dinner?

Traditionally, the groom’s family would host and pay for the rehearsal dinner. As weddings are more diverse, traditions are changing. The one thing you can do to make the rehearsal dinner go a little smoother is determine who is responsible for hosting and planning it. Then turn it over to the host.

Your rehearsal dinner may not be the main event, but it’s okay to make it special. Incorporate these ideas or your own to create a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

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