How to Plan a Fun Wedding Rehearsal Dinner
Have a barbecue., Rent a bowling alley., Go to the beach., Serve fondue., Opt for a casino night., Plan events around the venue., Have a wine or beer tasting., Show a movie., Play games., Provide a dessert buffet., Invite the right guests., Choose...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Have a barbecue.
If the weather around your rehearsal dinner is generally nice, a barbecue can be a fun theme.
You can have it in your backyard, a local restaurant, or a park.Have fun decorating.
Add classics like checkerboard tables.
Use something outdoorsy, like wildflowers, for centerpieces.
If you go this route, have a backup plan if you plan to have the dinner outdoors.
It could always rain. -
Step 2: Rent a bowling alley.
Bowling is a fun activity guests will enjoy participating in between food and drinks.
If you or your spouse loves bowling, try renting a bowling alley for the night.
You will have to rent several lanes to fit everyone and may have to talk to the manager about your plans.A fun twist can be having a bowling competition with prizes at the end of the night. , If you live near a beach, consider having a rehearsal dinner there.
This can be a great choice if you're doing a tropical themed wedding.
You can allow guests to enjoy the waves while you serve a picnic dinner for everyone.Check the restrictions of local beaches regarding food and drinks.
Remember to have a backup plan in case it rains. , Instead of traditional dishes, fondue can add extra fun to your wedding.
You can provide cheese fondue for dinner and chocolate for dessert, giving guests the chance to sample various dips with meats, breads, and fruits.If you have a fondue dinner at home, you may need to hire a cleaning crew as fondue is messy.
Make sure to provide plenty of napkins. , Include classic casino games at your rehearsal dinner, such as roulette and black jack.
Invitations can be sent out on customized playing cards.
You can also raffle off prizes or play bingo.
You can deal cards yourself or hire a professional dealer for the night.Guests will be moving around a lot, so the event may feel less intimate.
Consider having a sit down meal between the games. , When deciding on events, consider your venue.
Pick events fitting with the place you chose that would work into the general theme.For example, have guests play a round of golf for a rehearsal dinner at a golf course.
If you're doing something outdoors, like a picnic or beach dinner, play outdoor friendly games.
You can play something like beach ball or corn hole at an outdoor rehearsal dinner.
If you're having a rehearsal dinner at a local entertainment center, think about having guests compete with things like arcade games., A wine or beer tasting can be a fun event for a rehearsal dinner.
You can help guests figure out how to pair the perfect wine or beer for various courses.
Get in touch with local distilleries or restaurants who may do tastings.Make sure to provide plenty of food for such an event.
You don't want anyone getting too buzzed for your big day. , If you and your partner are movie buffs, this can work particularly well.
You can rent a projector and show one of your favorite romantic movies during your dinner.
Provide snacks, like classic movie candy and popcorn.Think about renting a popcorn machine for the day to get authentic movie popcorn. , Games can be a great way to add fun to any event.
Think about board games, especially group games like jenga.
You can also opt to play something like charades or Pictionary.Try a trivia competition.
You can have one act as the host of a trivia night or even go to a bar that offers trivia.
Try sports games.
Bring some baseballs and gloves to your wedding and play baseball. , A dessert buffet is a fun twist on wedding desserts.
Place an array of delicious treats on a buffet in back.
If you're doing a formal dinner, where guests are served one course at a time, a dessert buffet can be a fun treat after.You can make your own desserts or hire caterers. , A rehearsal dinner has less strict requirements on invitations.
You do not need to invite the entire wedding party.
It's usually an intimate get together of your closest friends and family members, so invite people who make you and your partner happy.
A small gathering of very close friends and family members will make for a fun rehearsal dinner.However, be careful not to snub anyone.
If there is a friend or family member who will expect an invitation, always include them. , Traditionally, toasts are given by the host of the event, the bride's father, and then the best man.However, there is no reason to follow this rule strictly.
In addition to allowing the traditional people to toast, allow someone fun and funny to give a toast for your big day.
For example, if you have a bridesmaid who does stand up comedy, ask her to give a toast. , Wedding rehearsal dinners have a lot of formal rules and regulations, but you do not need to follow all of them strictly.
In order to have fun, allow guests to relax a little.
Emphasize your dinner is more about enjoying one another's company than following formal rules.Don't have a stringent dress code.
Let guests dress however they feel comfortable.
Don't do a seating chart.
Let guests sit wherever they want.
Avoid too strict of a schedule.
Introduce toasts casually, while people are eating, instead of having a separate time altogether for toasts versus food. -
Step 3: Go to the beach.
-
Step 4: Serve fondue.
-
Step 5: Opt for a casino night.
-
Step 6: Plan events around the venue.
-
Step 7: Have a wine or beer tasting.
-
Step 8: Show a movie.
-
Step 9: Play games.
-
Step 10: Provide a dessert buffet.
-
Step 11: Invite the right guests.
-
Step 12: Choose fun people to give toasts.
-
Step 13: Loosen up formal restrictions.
Detailed Guide
If the weather around your rehearsal dinner is generally nice, a barbecue can be a fun theme.
You can have it in your backyard, a local restaurant, or a park.Have fun decorating.
Add classics like checkerboard tables.
Use something outdoorsy, like wildflowers, for centerpieces.
If you go this route, have a backup plan if you plan to have the dinner outdoors.
It could always rain.
Bowling is a fun activity guests will enjoy participating in between food and drinks.
If you or your spouse loves bowling, try renting a bowling alley for the night.
You will have to rent several lanes to fit everyone and may have to talk to the manager about your plans.A fun twist can be having a bowling competition with prizes at the end of the night. , If you live near a beach, consider having a rehearsal dinner there.
This can be a great choice if you're doing a tropical themed wedding.
You can allow guests to enjoy the waves while you serve a picnic dinner for everyone.Check the restrictions of local beaches regarding food and drinks.
Remember to have a backup plan in case it rains. , Instead of traditional dishes, fondue can add extra fun to your wedding.
You can provide cheese fondue for dinner and chocolate for dessert, giving guests the chance to sample various dips with meats, breads, and fruits.If you have a fondue dinner at home, you may need to hire a cleaning crew as fondue is messy.
Make sure to provide plenty of napkins. , Include classic casino games at your rehearsal dinner, such as roulette and black jack.
Invitations can be sent out on customized playing cards.
You can also raffle off prizes or play bingo.
You can deal cards yourself or hire a professional dealer for the night.Guests will be moving around a lot, so the event may feel less intimate.
Consider having a sit down meal between the games. , When deciding on events, consider your venue.
Pick events fitting with the place you chose that would work into the general theme.For example, have guests play a round of golf for a rehearsal dinner at a golf course.
If you're doing something outdoors, like a picnic or beach dinner, play outdoor friendly games.
You can play something like beach ball or corn hole at an outdoor rehearsal dinner.
If you're having a rehearsal dinner at a local entertainment center, think about having guests compete with things like arcade games., A wine or beer tasting can be a fun event for a rehearsal dinner.
You can help guests figure out how to pair the perfect wine or beer for various courses.
Get in touch with local distilleries or restaurants who may do tastings.Make sure to provide plenty of food for such an event.
You don't want anyone getting too buzzed for your big day. , If you and your partner are movie buffs, this can work particularly well.
You can rent a projector and show one of your favorite romantic movies during your dinner.
Provide snacks, like classic movie candy and popcorn.Think about renting a popcorn machine for the day to get authentic movie popcorn. , Games can be a great way to add fun to any event.
Think about board games, especially group games like jenga.
You can also opt to play something like charades or Pictionary.Try a trivia competition.
You can have one act as the host of a trivia night or even go to a bar that offers trivia.
Try sports games.
Bring some baseballs and gloves to your wedding and play baseball. , A dessert buffet is a fun twist on wedding desserts.
Place an array of delicious treats on a buffet in back.
If you're doing a formal dinner, where guests are served one course at a time, a dessert buffet can be a fun treat after.You can make your own desserts or hire caterers. , A rehearsal dinner has less strict requirements on invitations.
You do not need to invite the entire wedding party.
It's usually an intimate get together of your closest friends and family members, so invite people who make you and your partner happy.
A small gathering of very close friends and family members will make for a fun rehearsal dinner.However, be careful not to snub anyone.
If there is a friend or family member who will expect an invitation, always include them. , Traditionally, toasts are given by the host of the event, the bride's father, and then the best man.However, there is no reason to follow this rule strictly.
In addition to allowing the traditional people to toast, allow someone fun and funny to give a toast for your big day.
For example, if you have a bridesmaid who does stand up comedy, ask her to give a toast. , Wedding rehearsal dinners have a lot of formal rules and regulations, but you do not need to follow all of them strictly.
In order to have fun, allow guests to relax a little.
Emphasize your dinner is more about enjoying one another's company than following formal rules.Don't have a stringent dress code.
Let guests dress however they feel comfortable.
Don't do a seating chart.
Let guests sit wherever they want.
Avoid too strict of a schedule.
Introduce toasts casually, while people are eating, instead of having a separate time altogether for toasts versus food.
About the Author
James Rivera
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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