Rehearsal Dinner Etiquette

The rehearsal dinner is hosted and paid by the parents of the groom. Rehearsal dinner etiquette rules apply when planning this event.

Here are some rehearsal etiquette points to keep in mind:

1) The rehearsal dinner takes place the night before the wedding, regardless of when the wedding rehearsal is held.

2) The rehearsal dinner can be in a private home or at a restaurant, usually in a private room. The dress code can vary, but it is never more elegant than the wedding reception.

3) On the list of invitees you include parents, grandparents, siblings and their spouses or significant others (not dates), spouses of the parents (if they remarried), and bridesmaids and groomsmen. The children of the bride and groom are also invited if they are not too young.

4) During dinner, the father of the groom starts the toast with a small speech about the upcoming wedding. It is followed by the father of the bride and the best man. The groom can make a toast to his bride and her family, followed by the bride to her groom and his family.

5) If some of the guests have not given the wedding gifts to the couple, they can do it here.

The toasts and anecdotes are said during dinner, not after. This way the celebration remains short and everybody can go to sleep early. The next day will be very hectic and bride and groom need a good night rest.

Wedding Party Gift Ideas

The bride and groom typically give the wedding party a gift to remember their wedding and to thank them for making their big day special. The gifts are usually handed out at the rehearsal dinner. Here are some ideas for your bridal party gifts. If you do not find exactly what you are looking for, click on the store name to go directly to the store's website to search more easily.

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