How to Plan Your Rehearsal Dinner
The Rehearsal Dinner is a meaningful and celebratory moment during your wedding weekend. After months of planning, it’s finally time to breathe, relax, and be fully present with your closest friends and family. Whether you're keeping it casual or going all out, your rehearsal dinner should be stress-free, intimate, and filled with personal touches.
Here’s everything you need to know to make it seamless and special!
Budget First
Before you do anything else, determine how much you’re able (and willing) to spend on the rehearsal dinner. Your budget will help define:
How many guests you can invite
What type of venue you can choose
Whether your meal will be a formal plated dinner or something more casual
Traditionally, the groom’s family hosts the rehearsal dinner, but today’s couples often fund it themselves and treat it as part of the overall wedding budget. No matter who’s paying, clarity and communication are key.
Location: Keep It Convenient
Choose a venue that’s close to your ceremony site or guest accommodations. Keeping it local cuts down on travel time, reduces stress, and keeps things running on schedule.
Think about the type of experience you want to create—an elegant dinner at a fine dining restaurant, a laid-back gathering in a backyard, or something unique like a winery, rooftop bar, or beachfront café.
Theme: Make It Fun & Personal
The sky is the limit when it comes to your rehearsal dinner theme!
Dreaming of a seaside clambake?
How about a nautical-style dinner cruise?
A beachfront luau or rustic Italian feast in a candlelit wine cellar?
Let your personalities shine. A thoughtful theme can help you narrow down venue options and set the tone for the evening. Whichever style you choose, we recommend selecting a venue with a private room or designated space—this adds intimacy and helps keep speeches and toasts disruption-free.
Guest List: Who to Invite?
The typical rehearsal dinner guest list includes:
Immediate family
Wedding party and their plus-ones
Officiant or ceremony leader
Occasionally, out-of-town guests (if budget allows)
Destination Weddings or Out-of-Town Guests
For destination weddings or large groups of traveling guests, we suggest a two-part format:
Host a private, intimate rehearsal dinner with just family and your wedding party.
Follow it with a Welcome Reception for everyone else.
This lets you enjoy a relaxed dinner while still greeting your extended guests. To keep logistics simple, consider hosting both events in the same space. Many venues offer quick turnarounds—shifting from formal dining to a casual mix-and-mingle setup with:
Light appetizers
A dessert station
Hosted beer and wine
This hybrid approach is efficient, elegant, and guest-friendly.
Add Meaningful Touches
The rehearsal dinner is a wonderful opportunity for:
Thoughtful toasts and speeches
Distributing wedding party gifts
Sharing a slideshow or love story
Playing music or setting up casual games
Use this event as a relaxed lead-in to the wedding and focus on connecting with loved ones in a quieter, more personal setting.
Final Tip: Keep It About You
Your rehearsal dinner doesn’t need to follow tradition. Whether you’re serving up tacos in your backyard or hosting an elegant multi-course meal, what matters most is that it reflects your personality, your relationship, and your gratitude for the people who are part of your big day.