Mother of the Groom with Questions?

Question

I have to do a rehearsal dinner for my son's wedding. I have only one child and I've never done this before. The wedding is still a year off. Can anyone tell me about any requirements for the rehearsal dinner or innovative things they have seen done?

The only problem with inviting out of town guests is that would be almost the whole guest list. Both of the families live out of town from where the wedding is going to be. I guess I will stick to immediate family and wedding party.

Answer 1

I have been to dinners that where in restaurants, catered to the hall, had picnics, so you need to match the rehearsal dinner with the type of wedding their are having. It also depends on how much money you want to spend. I would talk this over with your son, to see what he would like and where. You have to book so far ahead now that you can't waste any time in securing a place. It also depends what type of food you want. Go to the library and get some books on how to plan.

Answer 2

Speak to the bride and groom to see if they have any ideas of locations or people invited, BUT you are the host of this party and have the final say, if they choose someplace thats too expensive or want too many people then you have every right to say "No, I'm sorry, let's see if we can find another place"

Usually the Rehearsal dinner is a private dinner hosted by the grooms parents, involves everyone who will be in the wedding, bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents and grandparents and any special readers or vocalists (that you havent hired). Sometimes it also includes out of towners, but this is not mandatory, its a judgement call on your part. If anyone invited to the rehearsal has a date/husband/fiance, its a good idea to inbvite these guests as well. I would suggest you try to find a place that has a private room because there are usually alot of speeches made and gifts are given out by the bride and groom to the wedding party.
Its held after the rehearsal, which usually lasts about an hour, so if your rehearsal is at 6, you would make reservations for about 7:30 (to give everyone travel time to get to the restaurant and time in case the rehearsal runs over a bit) Its an informal affair, just kind of a kick off to the actual wedding festivities.

Good luck!

Answer 3

The great thing about rehearsal dinners is that they can be anything you want. Mine was a small dinner in my mom's house, my brother's was huge cookout in my mom's backyard, my cousin had a pizza party, my other cousin had a formal sit down dinner at a country club, my friend had his favorite take out foods (wings and hoagies) at his sister's house. You can do whatever you want. Just don't have it at the same place as the wedding and shouldn't be more formal that the wedding. I would talk to the couple and ask them if they have any ideas. Under no circumstances should you go into debt to have an outrageous party. My favorite was the cookout because we invited tons of people and just had a really good time catching up before the wedding. You can have it at your favorite restaurant and that way you don't have to do anything but pay for it. You could have it at home and do all the work yourself. You could do something in between and have it catered at home. It just depends on your budget and energy level. Personally if I was getting married now and having a rehearsal dinner, I would have it at Baja Fresh.

Answer 4

I have seen it done so many ways. It can be held in a restaurant, a hall or at home.

Normally it is for immediate family and the bridal party (and their spoues or dates). However, depending upon your budget plan for more people. If the bride's two maiden aunts show up from out of town for the wedding, you will want to be able to invite them as a good gesture.

I know when my brother (who is much younger than I am) got married, my parents didn't go very expensive on the rehearsal (very nice, but not really expensive) and were able to easily handle the "extra" relatives that the bride's family wanted. They also included my brother's friends who came from out of town for the wedding. In my opinion, this turned out great that way; it was more of a party and no worry about anyone being offended.

Answer 5

Most rehearsal dinners are at a nice restaurant where the people in the wedding and close family and friends go the night before the wedding.
There is nothing really required except for you to pay for the dinner. Have your son and your soon to be daughter in law pick out a restaurant they like and you pick up the check.
The bride will be the one to go through what she expects the next day at the wedding.
Easier then you thought? Hope I helped. I just got married and my husbands parents had the same problem.
Good Luck and congrats! Please visit this website. It will answer your question better then I can.

www.weddings.about.com/od/showersandparties/a/RehearsalDinner.htm

Answer 6

My rehearsal dinner was held at a restaurant my husband and I liked. My MIL was *very* controlling about who would be invited as she saw it as HER party. My elderly grandparents traveled 3000 miles to be there and my MIL didn't want to invite them to the rehearsal dinner as (in her words) they weren't part of the wedding party! I told her that if that was her criteria, technically SHE wasn't part of the wedding party either! This is a dinner to celebrate the upcoming marriage and the people involved in the wedding -- not a reason to show off. Talk to your son and daughter-in-law-to-be prior to the event so you can iron out who should be invited. You don't want to break the bank by inviting everyone who is invited to the wedding, but out of town guests and close relatives should be included.

Answer 7

The easiest way is just to call up a good restaurant and make reservations. It also can be the expensive way.

In our case, the groom's parents were in the midst of a messy divorce. They couldn't get their act together. Anyway my parents, the bride's grandparent's hosted it at their home. It was catered and positively lovely. Everyone had a fantastic time.

It can be anything from a BBQ to a restaurant. It's nice if you can include out of town grandparents etc. Mostly it is just the bridal party, dates, minister and spouse, parents. Personally I like informal because you won't be able to relax much the next day. Sometimes it is so you get to know the special people in the bride and groom's life that you've never met before.

Answer 8

I have never been to one nor did I have one, but I would think it would just involve the people in the wedding getting together after teh rehearsal for a nice dinner to relax and go over anything that needs to be gone over before the wedding. I dont think it should include out of town relatives if they arent in the wedding. thats what the reception is for. you could have it at a restaurant or at your home depending on your budget. if you can swing it then I would go for the restuarant because its way easier on you not to have to cook for everyone and clean up.

Answer 9

The wedding rehearsal dinner usually takes place immediately after the wedding rehearsal the night before the wedding. The entire wedding party is present, including bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers, flower girls, ring bearers, officiants and the parents of the couple. Some couples often invite out-of-town guests who have traveled far to see the couple get married. First and foremost, the rehearsal dinner should be a relaxing and carefree event where the wedding party can have a few moments of downtime before the big day. Of course, you can make the rehearsal dinner as extravagant or as casual as you would like. Remember, though, this is the night before the big day, so try to avoid a rehearsal dinner that will leave you, the bride and grrom, or any of the wedding party feeling stressed out. Here are some ideas for themes to help make your rehearsal dinner a fabulous affair.

* Instead of booking a reservation at the five star restaurant downtown, throw some paper tablecloths on the picnic tables and fire up the grill for a barbeque-style dinner. Have the groom and his groomsmen prepare brisket, hamburgers, hotdogs, sausage and barbeque chicken for the family and set up some lawn chairs in the backyard for friends and family members to sit in and mingle. Serve the barbeque on butcher paper and make some homemade lemonade and sweet tea. For decorations, throw out a few hay bales (that will also serve as seating areas) and play some country music. Set up an area of the yard where your wedding party can participate in some country line dancing.


* Live near a beach? Have an old-fashioned clam bake. All you need is some firewood, a big pot for boiling, potatoes, corn and some fresh seafood (lobster and clams) to get your dinner started. Put out some beach blankets (and umbrellas, if it is sunny) for guests to sit on. If the beach permits it, you can have a bonfire later in the evening where guests can roast marshmallows and eat s’mores for dessert.

* Another theme to incorporate the beach would be a luau. Serve banana bread, grilled chicken, fried rice, fresh seafood and grilled pork to your guests and be sure to give them all leis to wear. Have some Hawaiian music playing and be sure to throw a hula dancing contest.

* Throw a dinner based on your heritage. For example, you or the bride's family is Italian, have an Italian feast for dinner. Set out lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs and other favorite Italian dishes. Put red and white checkered tablecloths on the tables and put candles in wine bottles as the centerpieces. Serve delicious red and white wines and have Italian music playing softly in the background.

* Nobody says the rehearsal dinner has to be a “dinner,” per se, as long as it's AFTER the rehearsal. Instead, opt to have a rehearsal brunch or breakfast. Meet up at a favorite breakfast spot for some delicious breakfast entrees and mimosas.

* For a nostalgic touch, have the rehearsal dinner at a spot that is special for the couple. Perhaps the dinner can be held at the restaurant that was the site of their first date or the site of the proposal.

Hope this helps.

Answer 10

Its just a casual getting to know you just like a family dinner. It makes sure everybody knows what they are doing on wedding day and lets them chat so they can be more comfortable getting to know each other beforehand. They include the parents, anybody involved in the wedding, obiously the couple, and sometimes the grandparents. If any out of town guests have already arrived consider inviting them too. Send out invites about 3 weeks before the rehersal.

Usually they are at resturants but sometimes budget wedding have great home-cooked meals.

This is also when the bride and groom present the attendant gifts, parent's gifts, or anything like that.

Innovative I dunno but I love to plan rehersal dinners where they can theme them on what the couple is doing on the honeymoon. If they are going to Mexico serve mexican, decorate with those indian blankes, make the bride and groom wear a sombrero.

Relax, rehersal dinners are just supposed to be fun.