Invite Pastor to rehearsal dinner?

Question

Hello,

I am trying to make my guest list for the rehearsal dinner. Are you supposed to invite the paster to the dinner portion?? I am already including him to the reception. I wanted to know if it was customary or not. I am also including the organist who is a long time family friend and one of my bridesmaid's mother. This list is growing by the second..... but I don't want to be rude and forget anyone important!!!
Thanks for your help!!

Answer 1

It would be polite to do so. After all, he is part of the wedding ceremony. Yes, he may decline but be prepared for him to attend as well.

Answer 2

I was taught that you invite all that are included in the wedding ceremony and their significant others. This includes the pastor, the organist/pianist/sound person, bridal party and parents, and anyone else who is at the rehearsal. When it comes to the pastor, he/she generally gives the prayer before dinner at the rehearsal and at the reception. He may respectfuly decline either or both of these invites, but it is customary to extend the offer for dinner both nights.
I have about 32 people invited to my rehearsal dinner, and my fiance and I have 4 people standing up with us on each side, with 2 ushers, a pianist, a sound person, and three sets of parents.

Answer 3

Definitely invite him to the reception and rehearsal dinner - especially the reception. He will probably offer to say a dinner blessing, which will be a nice memory. Officiants usually don't stay the whole reception but to not invite him would be very remiss and sort of missing the point of the day - the marriage and sacramant versus "the party". I mean, he is a central part of your wedding and more important than the girls at the office or your 5th cousin twice removed who could be trimmed from the list.

I would also invite him to the rehearsal dinner - remember the dinner is not for all the guests - just the major players in the wedding ceremony and parents. He may/may not accept but it would nice of you to at least make the gesture.

Answer 4

No, you do not have to invite the pastor to the rehearsal dinner, but it is always nice to ask. Usually at the rehearsal dinner it is a nice gesture to ask any out of town guest to attend along with your family and the bridal party. As an extra, I am inviting my bridesmaids' family since two of them are sisters, and their family would only include their parents and brother. I think that we may invite the pastor because he's pastored my fiance's family since he was 6 yrs. old. It is up to you, I doubt he would think twice about getting an invite or not:o) Congrats on your wedding, btw.

Answer 5

I dont think you have to invite him but i know that I will be inviting my officant to the rehearsal dinner. but if you are scared about having too many people there then use your own judgement. It really depends on what role your officiant is going to have in your future relationship. The pastor I am using for instance, is a fmily friend so I would like her to meet his family, and she also has said that she wants to be there if we need any guidance in our marriage or any help. So, to include her in the intimate family dinner seems appropriate.

Answer 6

Yes you invite the pastor and the organist- anyone who needs to be at the rehearsal should be invited to the dinner- if you have one.

Answer 7

Hmm, this is a tough one, I know you are supposed to invite them to the wedding and reception, but never heard of the rule of inviting to the rehearsal dinner. You know what, I would write the Emily Post institute and ask them, they have an email section where you can ask etiquette questions, it might be best to go to the Goddess of Good Manners and ask there. They are pretty prompt, I have asked questions before and it doesnt take that long to hear back from them.

Good luck!

Answer 8

at the same time as it comes right down to it, the purely people you ought to invite are those on your wedding ceremony party. although, once you've others who're helping you or have helped you with the marriage (as in making your favors, centerpieces, and that form of difficulty) it will be ideal to ask them as a demonstration of your appreciation. this is not mandatory to ask , yet oftentimes anybody contained in the bride's and groom's on the spot relations should be invited although in the adventure that they don't look actual contained in the marriage. one difficulty to maintain in concepts (so as that this is not yet another intense priced wedding ceremony reception) is that the practice consultation dinner is amazingly low key that's casual and the nutrition selections really prefer to duplicate that. as a remember of actuality, if the season is nice, that's completely ideal to have a cook dinner out or picnic style dinner this isn't a time to 'galvanize' people....that's a time for anybody to relax and breath somewhat earlier the tremendous adventure. (had to point this---someone reported that the groom's relations paid for the dinner and so it wasn't 'honest' to ask various people??????? The bride's relations is the only paying the tremendous greenbacks, so i do not imagine this is extremely an difficulty to be worried about ideal?)

Answer 9

It is usually customary, that anyone who is envolved with the wedding ceremony be invited to the rehersal dinner, as well as any out of town guests who may be present.

Answer 10

Is he part of the rehearsal/wedding party? Then he & his companion is invited.

It is not necessary to invite him to the reception if he is a 'hired gun'; but if you are part of his congregation you are to invite him AND his spouse to the reception as well.

Ps. Invitations are always in good manners.

Answer 11

No the pastor doesn't have to be invited to the rehearsal dinner, but i would ask anyway more than likely he'll decline gracefully, because he had something church related to do.