If you have out-of-town guests, they have traveled the distance to attend your big day. Be considerate if they are running late, and plan accordingly to better accommodate them. You can even opt to have out-of-state guests attend at the close of the dinner for dessert and coffee. From gift-giving to speeches, the rehearsal dinner is a time for family traditions to be carried out and special moments to be shared. Show your bridal party how much they mean to you with gift-giving tips on our blog!
Groomsmen, bridesmaids, the maid of honor, the best man, the ring bearer, and the flower girl all should receive gifts. You can also opt to give the your parents gifts, but you may wish to do this in a more personal setting or on your wedding day. The fathers of the bride and groom typically give speeches during the dinner. Rehearsal dinners are also a great time for sharing special memories in speeches given by any bridal party member.
You can also invite other guests to participate in the story-telling. The wedding is reserved for the maid of honor and best man, but this evening any of the attendees can toast the couple.
At that point, other well-wishers can take the floor toasts can be a bit longer and more humorous on this night than at the wedding. Be prepared to rise and thank all of those who have toasted you! Have a techno-savvy pal set up and display your presentation so that you can enjoy the show. Related Articles. Big Ideas for Small Weddings. Pros and Cons of a Weekday Wedding. As a result, it's usually the case that you'd only invite the wedding party and their plus-ones , immediate family members, the officiant, and potentially out-of-towners.
Anyone else's invitations would be reserved for the actual wedding ceremony and reception. But as always, this is your wedding and you get to make the call.
As for how many guests you should invite to your rehearsal dinner, that's typically up to you. It depends on several factors, including the size of your wedding party and immediate family, explains Tolento. The average couple has about 10 to 12 wedding party members in total," Tolento says. In Gottsman's experience, your rehearsal dinner party "can range from 15 people to 50 people, depending on your out-of-town family, wedding party, and special friends, who have helped with the festivities.
Since experts say there's no right answer, the size of your party will really depend on who's most important for you to have there — and, of course, the budget of whoever is funding the event. One of the most important parts of hosting a wedding, or any event for that matter, is making sure everyone knows where to be — and when. When sending rehearsal dinner invitations, "most couples do a super casual email or digital invite since it's a smaller group," Tolento says.
In other cases, "the formality of the rehearsal dinner can dictate the invitation style," Chertoff says. Whatever way you choose to send invites, just make sure your guests can easily RSVP.
That way, you can ensure everyone is accounted for when planning the dinner details. How will your rehearsal dinner guest list differ from your wedding day guest list? As mentioned above, "Your rehearsal dinner should consist of your bridal party, their spouses, your parents, grandparents, and siblings," Tolento says. Tolento adds: "Your wedding list will have extended family and friends that are excited to celebrate with you, but are not part of the wedding formalities. While your rehearsal dinner will mainly include members of the wedding party and your family, your wedding day festivities will usually include more guests.
Want to plan the perfect rehearsal dinner? Here are some more tips from experts. For starters, you want to make your guests feel welcome — and excited for all that's to come. To accomplish this, Gottsman says it's a good idea to "plan a toast to thank your guests and pay special attention to parents and close family members, who have traveled a long distance to be with you.
Next, Gottsman says it's not necessary to have a cake at the rehearsal dinner — especially since you'll likely serve one on the day of the wedding. Instead, it's a good idea to offer some kind of special dessert — usually one that's a favorite of the soon-to-be wed couple.
If you're planning a destination wedding, Chertoff says that you "may want to host welcome cocktails or a dessert party for all of the guests who traveled to the location. Main Menu. Sign Up.
Back to Main Menu. Practice makes perfect, and all that ceremony practicing can make a bride hungry. Anywhere from 10 to 25 people, this group is the perfect size for an intimate dinner with your VIPs, and you can definitely leave it at that.
This might seem fairly obvious, but the immediate family of the soon-to-be newlyweds should always be invited to the rehearsal dinner. This means parents, siblings, and grandparents.
Your wedding symbolizes not only the joining of you and your soon-to-be spouse in marriage but also your families merging, as well. This dinner is the perfect opportunity for some quality family time before your wedding, when no matter how hard you try, you won't have nearly as much time to spend with them. Here's where it gets a little ambiguous. By no means should you feel obligated to invite your aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. However, if your families are small and you only have perhaps two or three on each side whom you'd really love to join you, go for it.
Often, couples will invite their godparents, or closest extended family members to join them at this celebration before the celebration. Traditionally, all bridal party members should be invited to the rehearsal dinner. Essentially, it's a must.
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