Wedding Rehearsal dinner

[D2B]

Hi

OK, silly question for all the US pricescopers, but one I have to ask. I am allready married and currently live in the UK. I cant help myself but everytime I glance in this section I am wondering '' what is a rehearsal dinner and why do you traditionally have one''? It seems to add quite an expense and additional planning to the wedding. In the Uk and where I come from we dont have them and I have only ever heard of them when seeing US movies etc. So someone please satisfy my curiousity, what is it and why have it? Where I am from, guests come together the first time on the wedding day for the ceremony and dinner. Family / close friends may meet up earlier for planning purposes, but nothing formal.

cheers

D2B

 

[Stephanie]

RDs are used to just be able to sit, talk, and enjoy some time with your wedding party and your families. Usually, you are so busy on your wedding day that it is just too much trouble to try and fit everything and everyone in. RDs are also when the gifts are given to the bridal party, groomsmen and the parents (if there are any gifts.) Mainly just a way to kick back and relax with everyone before the big day, too. Just to get some one on one time with your closest friends and family.

 

[janinegirly]

well, in the US, there is typically a rehearsal held the night before the wedding day. It serves as a dry run of what will happen during the ceremony--what needs to be done during the ceremony, who goes where,etc.

Following that, it is customary to have a dinner with just the bridal party and parents (and priest--anyone participating in wedding ceremony) and is an informal conclusion to the rehearsal (something fun to look forward to). It's also a thank you to the wedding party. Gifts are given as well to groomsmen, bridesmaids. Parents of the groom typically pay for the rehearsal dinner and that's their only "traditional" financial obligation. It can add up to quite a bit, but in the big picture, only a fraction of the entire wedding costs. In some cases the dinner can be held at someone's house, or be a buffet style to keep costs down.

disclaimer: i've never been to a rehearsal dinner as i've never been part of a wedding party--so this is just from what I've gathered from hearing from others!

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Janine had it just about right except most I have been to also include close family members (i.e. close aunt''s and cousins), especially family members who have come a long distance. Some are very formal while others are quite casual, it just depends on what the bride and groom want. Also, when the bride walks down the aisle she carries a "bouquet" made from the ribbons of her presents at wedding showers.

 

[cara]

Its a dinner following the traditional friday-afternoon church processional rehearsal that has become a traditional event in itself. Its hosted by the groom''s parents typically (so the groom''s mother has an event under her control, rather than the bride and bride''s mother, who traditionally get to duke it out for the wedding). the basic guest list is bridal party, officiant, immediate family of bride and groom, as well as appropriate SOs. It is also traditional, but not required, to invite out-of-town guests (who might not know anyone local or have other dinner plans) and other key family members.

And thus the modestly size rehersal dinner can morph into an event rivaling the size of the wedding in this day and age, where some weddings are all family and out-of-towners.

Though I''ve only been to one of the smaller RDs as a bridal party member (which still had ~40 people and was a nice dinner), I have really appreciated the larger more inclusive RDs when I was traveling far to be a normal guest at a wedding. Such weekends are really expensive for guests as well, with airfare and hotel and whatnot, and the wedding and wedding day is such madness that it is great to be able to chat with the bride and groom and meet the key players the day before in a lower key environment.

In addition to giving gifts to parents and/or bridal party members, sometimes this is when the best man and maid of honor show a slide show of pictures of the bride and groom instead of at the wedding or reception.

 

[D2B]

Thanks everyone, I have been wondering about this for a while now

. It all makes sense and sounds like a great idea.

cheers
D2B

 

[shell lady]

Rehearsal dinners are not necessary and as you say, are an extra expense. If you are entertaining guest for the weekend, it serves a purpose of bringing together out-of-town guests. If that be the case, it can be made casual. It can even be potluck at a relatives home. Or you can agree to meet at a local restaurant to mingle and everyone can be on their own. Don''t feel obligated - not a mandatory tradition.

Donna Tortorice-Masse

 

[zoebartlett]

I quickly read through the replies so I aplogize if I''m repeating what others have already said. Rehearsal dinners can come in all different shapes and sizes so to speak. I''ve been to some that had only immediate family and the bridal party, and others that also included out of town guests -- extended family and friends. Most of the ones I''ve been to were held at restaurants (usually in a reserved room for private events), but I''ve been to a few barbeque rehearsal dinners at home. They can range from the more upscale and fancy to the more casual and relaxed.