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The rehearsal dinner for your wedding is opening night for the grandest production you’ll most likely ever direct. This initial scene usually provides the first opportunity for the cast and crew who will enact your special day to get together. You’ll want to do everything you can to ensure that “act one” receives rave reviews.
Today’s rehearsal dinners are larger than in the past. As a result, when a couple is narrowing down potential rehearsal dinner sites, their primary consideration is often space. Years ago, couples would invite between 20 and 30 people to their prenuptial dinner. Now the number of people included is often closer to 50. Bridal couples are choosing to include not only family and attendants, but any out-of-town guests who may have arrived early for the next day’s nuptials.
New trends find flexible menu options and the desire for a specific atmosphere to be the determining factors that most often sway rehearsal dinner decisions.
Families looking to host a more traditional prenuptial dinner frequently want to offer a group menu. Guests are given a choice of appetizers and up to three entrees from which they can select their main course. A dessert is usually included, along with a choice of either red or white wine. And while the food is still an important part of the dinner, the real emphasis is on the atmosphere. Many bridal couples look for a facility that is willing and able to set aside private space for them to host their dinner. While this is sometimes difficult to do on a busy Friday night, it’s often a non-negotiable issue for couples who want the assurance that they’ll be able to be alone with their friends and family and enjoy a relaxing, intimate evening in a private dining space. In many cases, drinks and hors d’oeuvres are served on an outside patio or in an adjoining bar, then the party moves inside to their private dining room for the dinner service. This elegant option offers another dimension to the traditional prenuptial, and gives the bridal party a chance to unwind after the rehearsal.
An increasingly popular alternative to a served, sit-down dinner is the family-style service approach. This method is particularly effective for couples who want to serve pasta or a variety of appetizers and entrée items. The food is brought to the table in large serving bowls, which guests pass around and help themselves. Guests can take as little or a much of an entrée as they like, and as an added bonus, this style of service promotes conversation among guests who may not yet be acquainted.
Across the country, another growing trend is an increase in the degree of extravagance many rehearsal dinners take on. Oftentimes, the groom’s parents like to host a prenuptial event somewhat on par with the wedding to follow. They don’t try to rival or outdo the wedding day plans - they just want to offer an event that will be compatible with the rest of the couple’s festivities.
Some of the distinctions include more extensive use of decorations such as flower arrangements, elaborate centerpieces or table configurations and party favors of all kinds. Many couples have even opted to serve the groom’s cake at the rehearsal dinner instead of the wedding reception.
While all the newest trends seem to be geared toward bigger, bolder celebrations, in many parts of the country a more casual gathering is still the most popular option for prenuptial dinners. Backyard barbecues, beachside clambakes and ethnic theme dinners are a relaxing, fun way to ease into the wedding celebrations. Comfortable clothes paired with comfort foods like roasted corn, boiled shrimp & lobster, barbecued chicken and steak along with all-American sides like coleslaw and potato salad can soothe jitters and keep the mood light, without all the pomp and circumstance of a formal event. Even a Mexican fiesta complete with margaritas and salsa dancing or an Italian feast with lots of red wine and pasta could make for a memorable prenuptial celebration without a lot of extravagance.
The ways to personalize a prenuptial event are as limitless as the imagination. But as you explore the many and varied options available for individualizing your prenuptial festivities, always remember the most important thing - that you’re happy with the alternatives you choose. And if your dinner is an enjoyable and relaxing experience for both you and your guests, everyone will appreciate being invited.
A show-stopping performance is nearly always preceded by a solid and successful practice run. Determining what considerations should take center stage and what special effects will best enhance the event, assures that the preliminary scene of your rehearsal dinner will be both enjoyably executed and warmly received.