Rehearsal Dinner
Your rehearsal dinner is the warm-up act for your wedding day - a time to gather your closest people, shake off pre-wedding nerves, and start the weekend on a high note. It’s also a great way to thank your wedding party and other VIPs for being by your side and attending the rehearsal.
It’s not just dinner; it’s your chance to set the tone for the celebration ahead. Whether you’re going classic, coastal, or completely custom, here’s how to plan it like a pro.
Step 1: Start With the Guest List and Budget
Before you book anything, decide who’s coming.
Traditionally, the rehearsal dinner includes:
The wedding party + their partners
Immediate family
The officiant (if you’re close!)
Keep it intimate enough to actually mingle - you’ll have the big guest list tomorrow.
Also consider your budget for how many people you need to feed and how much you want to spend on a venue. This will be important as you continue through the next steps.
Step 2: Choose Your Vibe and Venue
Your rehearsal dinner can complement your wedding aesthetic, or it can be a total mood shift - it’s up to you!
Create your vision, then use that to decide what type of venue and food you want. The simplest answer is to go with a restaurant that has a private room so food and venue is all-in-one. You can also choose to have your rehearsal dinner at the wedding venue (if they allow that), or rent out a completely different space. Just keep in mind that the venue should be close to your wedding venue for ease of travel after the rehearsal.
Once that is settled, you can decide how you want to decorate the space to bring your vision to life!
Step 3: Lock in the Logistics
Once you have your people, venue, vendors, and vision, you can lock in the other logistics.
Timing - what time will the rehearsal be, what time will dinner start, and when do you have access to the space to set up/clean up? (Build in travel time!)
Speaking of which, decor plan - who is not involved in the ceremony rehearsal and can go to the rehearsal dinner venue to set up? Who is responsible for cleaning up after the dinner is complete?
Toasts/Speeches - who will be giving a toast or speech at the dinner if at all? This is a good opportunity to thank your VIPs for attending your wedding weekend and give more sentimental shout outs than you might in front of all of your wedding guests. Also, if you have people who want to give a toast, but you’re limiting speeches at the wedding, consider doing these here!
Menu - what do you want to eat and drink? Are there any dietary restrictions the caterer needs to know about? Make sure that whatever you choose is different from your wedding meal.
Step 4: Enjoy!
Seriously. This is your last night before you’re married. Take it in.
Let the conversation flow, have that second glass of champagne, and don’t worry about the next day - that’s what your planner is for.
Top Tip: The best way to enjoy your wedding rehearsal dinner is to hire your wedding planner or coordinator to manage the dinner as well. At SC Signature Celebrations, we offer rehearsal dinner design, planning, and coordination as add-ons to any package - inquire today to learn more!
Vendor Credits
Planner – SC Signature Celebrations
Photo - Shots by Nikole
