Rehearsal Dinner FAQs
When Is It Held? Usually the rehearsal dinner is held shortly after the wedding rehearsal on the day before the wedding itself. Sometimes one event flows directly into the other, although there may also be a lapse of a couple of hours in between. The time of day is important, as well. Ideally, you want to have your rehearsal dinner end fairly early, so that the bride and groom can get plenty of rest for their big day.
Who Should Be Invited? The key players in the rehearsal dinner are the bride and groom, their wedding party, the parents of the bride and groom (in any form or number!), and the officiant and his or her spouse. It is often common to add extended family and out-of-town guests to the list of invitees, as well.
Who Pays For It? The traditional answer was the parents of the groom, and this is still often the case. However, in many families, the old rules about who pays for what at a wedding are no longer strictly observed (which is usually a relief for the bride’s parents, who had to foot the bill for most of the wedding costs).
How Formal Should It Be? The formality of the rehearsal dinner in no way needs to match the level of formality of the wedding. You could be having a very grand black tie wedding with all of your guests in tuxedos, gowns, and their best wedding jewelry. That does not mean that your rehearsal dinner the day before the wedding can’t be a clam bake on the beach. In fact, a more relaxed atmosphere can be ideal for letting both sides of the family get to know one another better before the wedding.
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