A Guide to Planning Your Wedding Rehearsal Dinner: Timelines, Venues, Decor & More

When you’re planning a wedding, most of your time and energy goes to the big day itself. But while your ceremony and reception are the main events, don’t forget the moments that pave the way for your wedding day, like your wedding rehearsal dinner.

Wedding rehearsal dinners deserve more than the afterthought treatment. They provide a more casual, pressure-free opportunity for you and your closest loved ones to celebrate before your walk down the aisle. In fact, some of the couples we host make the best memories at their rehearsal dinners! So, if you want to learn how to plan an unforgettable evening for the eve of your wedding, you’re in the right place.

Below, learn how to plan a rehearsal dinner, including timelines, reharsal dinner decorating ideas, venue choices.

What Is a Wedding Rehearsal Dinner?

A rehearsal dinner is a pre-wedding event that follows your wedding rehearsal, when you’ll walk through all the main events of your ceremony with your bridal party.

The wedding rehearsal dinner is a great time to get your guests together and relax before the big day. A rehearsal dinner serves as a way to come together with the people you love in a more relaxed, comfortable environment. In a way, it’s almost like a more casual pre-run of your wedding reception!

Who Gets Invited to a Wedding Rehearsal Dinner?

Traditionally, your bridal party and officiant get an invite. So do close family members, like parents, grandparents, and siblings. If you have out-of-town guests driving or flying in for the wedding, the rehearsal dinner can also serve as a way to welcome them to town.

What is the Average Number of People at a Rehearsal Dinner?

Again, that depends on your preferences! A modest rehearsal dinner, with only your bridal party and close family members, can have 20 guests or less.

That said, plenty of couples use their rehearsal dinners as an opportunity to expand the wedding celebration and host a bigger celebration with 50 to 100 guests.

Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Agenda

Rehearsal dinners tend to be on the shorter side, with the dinner itself ideally lasting around 2 to 3 hours. You want a warm, memorable evening that wraps up well before bedtime, so everyone can get a good night’s sleep.

You can see an example of a wedding rehearsal dinner timeline below.

• 4:30 pm-5:30 pm: Wedding rehearsal with the officiant and bridal party. Walk through processional order, positioning, and cues until everyone gets it.
• 5:30 pm-6 pm: Travel to your venue and get guests seated. The host, like a parent or grandparent, might welcome everyone with a toast.
• 6 pm-7 pm: Dinner is served. Toasts and speeches are woven throughout the meal. Ideally, try to keep them to 2-3 minutes each
• 7 pm-8 pm: Finish up with desserts, a final round of drinks, and even some games, if you’re feeling up for it.

How Much Does a Rehearsal Dinner Cost?

That depends on where you host, how many guests you have, and your dinner and cocktail menu. According to data from The Knot, a 50-guest rehearsal dinner costs an average of $1,630, while a 100-guest dinner costs around $3,139.

Who Usually Pays for a WeddingRehearsal Dinner?

Traditionally, the groom’s parents pay for the rehearsal dinner. But in modern weddings, that arrangement is flexible – after all, your wedding may have two grooms, or none at all. It’s also more commonplace for couples to pay for their wedding events themselves.

We always recommend having an honest conversation with your family to figure out the financial arrangement that suits you best!

Rehearsal Dinner Decorating Ideas

Since your wedding day and reception are still ultimately the stars of the show, there’s no need to overdo it with your rehearsal dinner decorations. A few thoughtful, well-placed decorations can elevate your venue and prime guests for what to expect later, like these rehearsal dinner decorating ideas:

• Table centerpieces and floral garlands
• Soft candlelight, like candelabras, votives, or lanterns
• Battery-powered string lights for a whimsical touch
• Framed photos of the couple over the years
• Chair decor, like “future bride” or “future groom” signs

Rehearsal Dinner Games & Activities

A rehearsal dinner is essentially a small pre-wedding party – and every party gets better with fun and games. While not strictly necessary, activities like these can help you bring your guests together and create a new memories you’ll look back on for years to come.

• Guessing Games: Think wedding trivia or personalized questions catered to the couple’s interests!
• Karaoke: Karaoke isn’t about sounding good. It’s about sounding terrible, together
• Lawn Games: Cornhole, oversized Jenga, or horseshoes are all fun options for outdoor rehearsal dinners
• Card & Board Games: Grab your favorite group games, like family-friendly Cards Against Humanity, or Cards Against Humanity or Scrabble for a little friendly competition

Common Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Mistakes to Avoid

There’s no hard set of rules for a rehearsal dinner, so there’s really no way to do it “wrong.” That said, some decisions can set you up for a more fun, memorable evening than others. So, we suggest steering clear of the following rehearsal dinner mistakes, so you can minimize stress and maximize fun:

• Picking a venue too far away: Ideally, your wedding rehearsal venue should be a short distance away from your venue, so you can head straight over after your wedding rehearsal. If your wedding venue has catering and the availability to host your dinner, that can cut out your travel window altogether, and give you more time to celebrate!
• Hosting too late: Try to keep your rehearsal dinner early in the evening. After all, you’ll still need end it well before bedtime to feel rested and ready for your wedding day!
• Making it too formal: Erring on the formal side can make your rehearsal dinner feel too similar to your reception dinner. We recommend giving rehearsal dinners a more relaxed, semi-formal atmosphere to keep things from feeling stuffy
• Waiting too long to plan: While it’s easy to let a rehearsal dinner slip through the cracks, waiting too long to make dinner plans can leave you scrambling to find a venue the night before. For large parties or popular spots, you may need to book anywhere from 3 to 6 months in advance.

Celebrate your Wedding & Rehearsal Dinner with Kirkbrae

Want to make every event in the buildup to your wedding day feel special and unique? Kirkbrae Country Club is waiting for you.

As one of the top wedding and rehearsal dinner venues in Rhode Island, our grounds are home to both indoor and outdoor event spaces that can accommodate gatherings of all sizes.

Kirkbrae’s award-winning caterers can help you curate the perfect menu, and when you host your wedding rehearsal and dinner with us, you don’t need to travel! You can skip the car ride, and spend more time having fun with your guests.

Plus, we’re only a short drive from the Providence airport, making it easy for out-of-town guests to stop in for a night of fun, laughter, and togetherness before your wedding day. If you’re ready to plan a seamless wedding and rehearsal dinner, contact Kirkbrae today to tour the grounds or ask about available dates!