Tips For Planning a Rehearsal Dinner

October 31, 2012 | Posted By: isponsor | blog |

Planning a wedding is stressful. One reason is that many brides are doing this for the first time, yet they are expected to know all of the etiquette concerning every aspect of wedding planning, including the rehearsal dinner. Below are some tips to help you plan the wedding rehearsal dinner.

Location
While a common choice among brides is to host the rehearsal dinner at a favorite restaurant, sometimes, smaller dinner parties are forced to share a noisy restaurant with other patrons. The good news is that some banquet facilities in San Gabriel Valley, such as Pomona Valley Mining Company, are able to accommodate any size rehearsal dinner in a private setting.*

*Smaller parties can be hosted in the semi-private Banquet rooms. While Larger parties can use a Section of the upstairs Ballroom overlooking the city.

Food
The type of food that you serve at your rehearsal dinner is, obviously, a matter of personal preference. If you choose a quality banquet facility in San Gabriel County, the staff will be able to help you choose a menu that is both delicious and will stay within your specified budget.

Who to Invite?
Who to invite to your rehearsal dinner is a question of bridal etiquette about which some brides are unclear. Typically, the couple will invite all members of the wedding party, including bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers, flower girl, ring bearer, those doing a reading or singing and any other special helpers. If the couple knows the officiant, he or she will usually be invited as well. A general rule of thumb is that anyone who will be at the wedding rehearsal should certainly be invited to the dinner.

The immediate family of the bride and groom are usually invited as well, even if they will not be actively participating in the wedding.

The spouses of bridal party members and parents of any children in the wedding are also invited. Some couples also choose to invite special guests that have traveled from out of town to be at the wedding.

What’s the Agenda?
The agenda for the night of the rehearsal dinner includes all participants meeting at the venue for the ceremony. The officiant will run through the wedding a couple of times to make sure that things go smoothly on the big day.

Usually, the rehearsal dinner will follow the rehearsal, but some couples choose to have dinner first.

At the dinner, there need not be a strict agenda, but there are a few things that should be worked in at some point. The bride and groom should give their gifts to members of the bridal party. There are often toasts made to the bride and groom. Finally, the bride and groom should each take a few minutes to thank their parents and anyone else who has helped with their wedding planning.

Who Pays?
While the bride’s parents traditionally pay for most wedding expenses, the rehearsal dinner is one that should be picked up by the parent’s of the groom. Of course, more and more couples these days are handling the bulk of wedding expenses, including those for the rehearsal dinner, themselves.

When you choose a banquet facility in San Gabriel Valley, the staff will be able to work with whoever is paying to be sure that the specified budget is honored.

The most important tip about your rehearsal dinner is to make sure you sit down, eat, relax and have a good time. This is one of the most special times of your life. Enjoy!