Rehearsal dinner party tips

Are you giving a wedding rehearsal dinner party? A wedding is one of those life occasions when people close to the bride and groom have special roles to play. If you are the groom or the groom’s family, hosting this dinner will probably be on your wedding to-do list. And a rehearsal dinner almost always means dinner party planning for more than a few people. It's where you'll need to alter your custom of hosting intimate dinner parties at home to contribute this share to the wedding rituals.

So you'll be doing your dinner party planning a little differently this time. Don't feel that you have to mount a gourmet production tonight. Quite the opposite. People are stressed, they are distracted trying to remember a thousand details, everyone is running late, and the big day is tomorrow. They’re worrying about bombing with their wedding speeches, wondering if their dress is too tight, and all the thousand other details that are on their minds the night before the big day.

You yourself are probably stressed and trying to remember a thousand details.

So if ever there was a time to make things easy for yourself, this is it! It’s time to pull out all your dinner party planning stops.

Here are some tips to help you host a happy enjoyable wedding rehearsal dinner.

Think buffet dinner
Typically the wedding party attends this dinner, and you might also be inviting any out of town guests as well. Your guest list will grow to the size where a buffet dinner makes sense unless you happen to live in a mansion and have plenty of servants on your household staff.

Buffet means fork food, food that people can handle with one hand and food that doesn't drip down their front as they juggle their plate, a glass and introductions to the other guests.

Think simple, make-ahead and “store bought”
You are part of the wedding party too. You can’t be in two places at once, at the church for the rehearsal and at home getting the dinner ready.

So you need to get others to help you prepare dinner, and you need to make as much as possible in advance.

You want to whip in the door from the church and just pull things out of the fridge or in and out of the oven and pop them on your already prepared buffet table.

Make-ahead appetizers are just right
These can be pulled out and put on the table so people have something to nibble on right away. Again, chances are good that everyone is running late, which means that everyone is probably more than ready for something to eat.

And you don’t want the wedding party stoking up on alcoholic drinks on an empty stomach.

Jump to my make ahead appetizers page if you want some specific ideas for the menu.

Think comfort food and plenty of it
When you serve easy to eat comfort food, guests who are wired may actually be able to put some food in their mouths. Chances are they will do it even while they are telling you they couldn’t eat a thing!

Are the bride and groom young? Then it is likely that the bridal party will include young male ushers with hearty appetites.

Make ahead or store bought comfort food includes dishes like lasagna, fettucini alfredo, chili, and quiche Why not check out your local Costco store, and your local M&M store if you are in Canada? You can buy main courses that are perfect for a rehearsal dinner party. They are already prepared and you just have to pop them in the oven to heat.

With some salads and rolls these are main courses that most people are happy to eat.

Let your dessert table make your rehearsal dinner party festive

Let your table of pretty and delicious-looking desserts provide the festive touch that salutes the occasion. People will feel that a wedding rehearsal dinner party is an occasion that gives them permission to indulge a little. And remember those young male ushers! Chances are they'll be happy to have seconds or even thirds.

Partyware rental can be a great solution for your tableware needs

It is so inexpensive to rent tableware. Partyware rental places charge prices like 25 or 40 cents a dinner plate.

Chafing dishes and serving dishes and just about anything else you might need can be rented too.

Tableware rental places will deliver and pick up. They don’t even require you to wash the items. Just scrape and rinse, then put back in the boxes they came in.

I hope these rehearsal dinner party tips help you sail smoothly through the wedding rehearsal dinner you are giving for this joyous occasion.

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