What to Know When Planning Your Rehearsal Dinner — Ivory Oak
What do your guests wear to your rehearsal dinner?
Rehearsal dinner attire can sometimes depend on how formal your location is. Typically we would recommend a more casual cocktail attire to play it safe. To help your guests, write it on your wedding website or add additional wedding dress code options on your invitations.
Here is some information for you to follow while you are picking out your outfits for the celebrations!
For a more formal style, ladies think about a country cocktail dress. It most definitely does not need to be floor length, but something a bit dressier than a sundress. We recommend thinking about your wedding day attire but taken down a notch or two.
As a guest, you may consider wearing a pattern instead of a solid color dress. If you are in the wedding party, of course, you will want to ensure you are in a dress and shoes that you feel comfortable walking in, as you will be rehearsing the ceremony before the dinner.
For the gentlemen, they may consider wearing suit pants, a button-down with a tie and a sport coat to ensure they are dressy enough but not overdressed. A full suit could even be a great option, too!
With a more casual rehearsal dinner, you will be able to have a more relaxed sense of style. Ladies, consider a sundress with wedges or even a sandal. When you receive notice on where the dinner will be taking place, take some time to look it up and determine if you will be able to wear even more casual attire, like jeans and a blouse.
From the men, consider wearing slacks or jeans with a button-down. You may be able to get away with no jacket or tie too!
Related: Wedding Guest Attire
Who to invite to your rehearsal dinner?
Start with your immediate family members, such as siblings, grandparents, and parents. You will want to add them to the list first. Next, your bridal party and their plus ones; you will want to ensure that they are at the ceremony rehearsal too.
If you have any children in the wedding, you will want to extend the invite to their parents. Of course, the children can be optional if you prefer to have an adult-only event. The officiant and their spouse should receive an invitation to your rehearsal dinner as well.
Once you have that list created, you may consider some of your cousins, aunts, uncles, or additional friends.
If you’re hosting more of a destination style wedding where the majority of your guests are traveling for the big day, you do not have to invite everyone to the rehearsal dinner. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a party that’s just as big as your wedding. Instead, consider organizing a welcome celebration.
The rehearsal dinner and welcome party are two different events, yet they both could be held at the same location. For your rehearsal dinner, you may consider inviting some of the guests who traveled a ways away to attend your wedding.
Who pays for the rehearsal dinner?
Traditionally, the groom’s family hosts the rehearsal dinner for the couple with their friends and family surrounded. However, in recent years, we have seen instances where both families split the cost or even the bride and groom take on hosting the rehearsal dinner.
Whoever is paying for it should get input on the event itself along with what food and drinks are going to be served. However, ultimately the bride and groom will oversee the final details to ensure it is how they envisioned it.
You can begin planning your rehearsal dinner as far as a year out. However, we would recommend giving yourself at least 6-months in advance to book your rehearsal dinner venue and menu.
Related: Tips for Wedding day Success
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