Let’s learn more about the tradition and what to consider when having a rehearsal dinner.
The history behind the rehearsal dinner was actually to rehearse your wedding ceremony. Families and bridal parties would gather at the place of worship and practice walking down the aisle, the order of the ceremony, etc. Now, with so many people getting married at venues, it is hard to schedule an actual rehearsal. Sure, you can throw a casual one in your backyard. But the question remains – is a rehearsal dinner necessary? Let’s learn more about the tradition and what to consider when deciding to have a rehearsal dinner.
Practice the Ceremony
With so many components, vendors, and guests to coordinate, a rehearsal day and the following dinner are the best ways to gather the participants together to practice. If you are getting married in a house of worship, they usually host a rehearsal to run through the order of the ceremony. If you’re having the ceremony at a private venue, it will be harder to schedule the actual rehearsal. In this case, you might just have dinner with your family and your bridal party.
Make Introductions
In some cases, you might not have met all of your fiance’s friends and family yet. While you will have plenty of time over the years to get to know everyone, you don’t want to be strangers at the wedding. The rehearsal dinner lets you spend time with your loved ones and get to know your soon-to-be family members. A rehearsal dinner before the wedding allows everyone to be introduced and get to know one another a little better.
Prioritize Guest Comfort
Nerves tend to run high before such a major event, so a relaxed rehearsal dinner maintains a joyous and calm tone. You will also probably have many guests in attendance who are just meeting for the first time, so the dinner is an excellent opportunity to promote mingling in a casual setting.
Who to Invite?
The guest list for the rehearsal dinner can be very different from the total guest list for the wedding day. If you have a huge wedding planned, the rehearsal dinner will be much smaller and more intimate.
A typical rehearsal dinner is limited to the wedding party with a few other participants from the ceremony, such as the ushers, readers, parents, and grandparents.
In recent years, these dinners have expanded to include select guests, usually close friends. As it is more common to travel greater distances to attend a wedding, occasionally, guests arriving early from out of town will be invited to dinner as well.
HISTORIC OAKLAND MANOR: THE PERFECT WEDDING VENUE
Nestled in a peaceful wooded area in the heart of downtown Columbia, Historic Oakland Manor stands proudly in natural splendor. Elegant Oakland is the perfect setting for ceremonies, wedding receptions, bridal showers, holiday parties, family celebrations, business meetings, or retreats. Schedule a tour today with our expert venue coordinators! Please call (410-730-4801), email ([email protected]), or visit our chat on our homepage to book a tour appointment.
