The wedding rehearsal dinner is held the night before the wedding. This is a time when the wedding party, parents, grandparents and some out of town guest get together after the rehearsal for the wedding and relax before the big day.
It is not uncommon to have a casual dress code because the next day, everyone is going to be dresses up all day. After you meet at the wedding ceremony location and do a trial run of the wedding, you always want to have a dinner where you give your wedding party their gifts and both sides of the family sit around and talk about the upcoming day.
Who Pays for the Dinner?
The groom's side of the family usually covers the rehearsal dinner. The dinner and the drinks are usually covered, but drinks can be optional. There will be very little drinking because the next day, everyone wants to be in good health. Today, it is not uncommon for the groom and the bride to pay for the dinner if the families are low on cash. Then sometimes the parents and the bride and groom pay together. Wedding rehearsal dinner etiquette is not set in stone as far as this part of the wedding is concerned.
Location of Rehearsal Dinner
Today, many brides and grooms are opting for backyard BBQ's for the rehearsal dinner. This can save money if you have a large wedding party and large families. There is no set location for these dinners and you do not want to spend hundreds of dollars on the rehearsal dinner when you have a big wedding the next day. It is okay to choose a restaurant or a backyard cookout. The backyard BBQ would be a way to save money on the costs and everyone can just be him or herself and relax.
What to Have for Food
The wedding rehearsal dinner is open to any type of foods. If the dinners are held at a restaurant, you could have an open buffet with chicken and tips and gravy. You do not have go all out for the dinner. If you have a casual backyard dinner, brats and hamburgers or chicken and minute steaks will do just fine. You do not have to spend a lot of money on the wedding rehearsal dinner to have a good time and relax.
When you are planning the wedding rehearsal dinner location and foods to have, you should keep in mind that you are already having a beautiful wedding and a reception dinner with the works. You do not have to spend a great deal of money on this dinner. It is a time to talk and relax. It is when everyone gets together and talks while having some food and drinks. Keep in mind that you do not want to have a late night because you want everyone to enjoy the next day, which is the important day to have fun. Keep it simple and just have a relaxing time.
