Considered as quite an important ceremony in some parts of the world, the wedding rehearsal dinner is usually a get-together that occurs straight after the actual rehearsal, on the eve of the ceremony. Attendees usually include the couples’ parents, bridesmaids, groomsmen and a few close friends and relatives.
While some families are practically religious about the wedding rehearsal dinners, others host this ceremony simply because it’s the norm. But, bear in mind that wedding rehearsal dinners do not have to be an obligation. Indeed, not all of us can afford to host a rather expensive dinner prior to the actual wedding, while some others would rather invest their money in the reception. So, before you decide whether you’d like to throw a wedding rehearsal dinner or not, read on to familiarize yourself with a few pros and cons of this particular ceremony.
Pros
There’s nothing like a lavish wedding rehearsal dinner to bring some extra panache to the overall day and get everyone in the mood for the wedding. This dinner also provides an excellent way for both the bride and groom to relax and personally thank their closest friends and families for all their help. Through the wedding rehearsal dinner, both the bride’s and the groom’s family will have a chance to spend more time together and hence get to know each other better.
If you can afford it, don’t hesitate to go for an elegant wedding rehearsal dinner in a classy restaurant. Since it’s one of the most important pre-wedding ceremonies, it certainly needs to be done in an ultra-glamorous and sophisticated manner.
Cons
However, truth be told, not everyone can afford such a lavish party, especially with the wedding ceremony and reception happening the very next day. In some families, either the bride’s parents or the groom’s parents- or even both- usually offer to incur the costs associated with the dinner party. But, in most cases, this responsibility is taken by the couple itself.
If you’re on a limited budget, don’t hesitate about skipping the entire rehearsal dinner. Alternatively, consider going for a more toned-down version of the dinner. For example, you could always host it outside and turn it into an informal barbecue party. Consider turning it into a potluck dinner as well. Since everybody will be bringing something to eat, the costs are definitely going to be lower for the couple.
While wedding rehearsal dinners can be quite a lot of fun, the flip side of it is that they can also bring in some extra stress. Since it’s never easy to receive and entertain a lot of people at once, don’t hesitate to cut the guest list to the strict minimum, provided of course, that you do want to go along with the tradition of rehearsal dinners.