Relaxed rehearsal dinner

Posted on 25. May, 2010 by Why White in Inspiration

Your rehearsal dinner doesn’t have to be at a fancy restaurant where you have to try to remember which silverware to use and which glass is used for which drink. It’s the evening before your wedding—you want to simply enjoy your close family and friends and relax after all the preparations which have gone into planning your wedding. Don’t be afraid to try something not quite as traditional for your rehearsal dinner! You will be surprised how much more special and memorable the occasion is after all.

Choose activities and a setting which will best allow you to visit with your guests. Especially if your family and the groom’s don’t know each other well, it is a great opportunity to let others get to know each other better. As you will be busy greeting lots of people the next day at your wedding, be sure to take this dinner as a chance to spend precious time with those closest to you. Here too, be sure to let others know how grateful you both are for all the help and support they have been to you.

A few rehearsal dinner ideas for you to choose from.

Potluck BBQ: Host a BBQ at a lake, a local park, or even your parents’ backyard. Supply the meat, condiments, and drinks, and ask family and friends to bring their favorite side dishes. Set up a volleyball/badminton net and have a fun game of guys against girls.
Bowling alley: If you both are bowlers, have your rehearsal dinner at a bowling alley. Take advantage of the food bar there, and strike up friendly competition between families. Be sure to reserve the number of lanes you will need for your evening.
Game night: Pick your favorite card or board games and host a game night a family member’s home or even at the location of your wedding ceremony to cut down on any extra traveling. Serve tasty finger foods.
Honeymoon location: Going somewhere exotic for your honeymoon? Plan your dinner theme around your destination. Hawaii? Provide leis for each guest, play Hawaiian music in the background, and cater special Hawaiian dishes. Mexico? Get a piñata, serve spicy Mexican food, and hire a Mariachi band to play.
Picnic: What’s more relaxing than a good, old fashioned picnic? Serve freshly cut watermelons and fried chicken on paper plates set on red and white tablecloths.
Bonfire: Sit on bales of hay and sit around a cozy bonfire. Let guests roast their own hotdogs, and later provide ingredients for s’mores. Have a musical guest bring his guitar for a sing along.