With all the planning that goes into a wedding, it’s easy to forget about the wedding rehearsal. Typically, the night before your wedding, you and your bridal party will discuss the specifics of the wedding ceremony and practice walking down the aisle. After the rehearsal, you or your parents host a rehearsal dinner to celebrate with your close friends and family. If you’re new to wedding planning, here is a wedding rehearsal guide for what to expect.
Wedding Rehearsal Timeline and Details
A wedding rehearsal is for you and your bridal party to get the nerves out of walking down the aisle. Walking in front of all those people can be intimidating, so the rehearsal is a chance to practice your pacing and speech. Consult with your wedding planner about the details of a wedding rehearsal.
Who Should Be at the Wedding Rehearsal?
Anyone who plays a part in the ceremony is supposed to be at the wedding rehearsal. Let these people know they need to rehearse the service before the big day:
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- The bridesmaids
- The groomsmen
- The ring bearer
- The flower girl
- Your parents and grandparents
- The officiant
- The readers and musicians
- The wedding planner
What Happens at a Wedding Rehearsal?
During the rehearsal, the wedding planner goes over the essential elements of the ceremony. Communicating all expectations and plans will help the service run smoothly. During the rehearsal, you will review:
- Order of procession: You are in control of how the bridal party enters the ceremony venue. Everyone in your bridal party needs to know their place in line, so they can walk accordingly.
- The pace of walking: Nervous bridal party members tend to rush down the aisle, but practicing will help reduce any anxiety they may have. To keep a steady rhythm, those in the procession often walk to the beat of the processional music at a natural pace.
- Where parents sit: After parents and grandparents walk down the aisle, they need a place to sit for the remainder of the ceremony. Most couples opt to put their parents in the front row to give them a good view as you say your vows and exchange rings.
- The spacing of the wedding party: For picture purposes, you want the bridal party to stand evenly apart on each side of you and your fianc . Mark the spots on the floor where you want each bridesmaid and groomsman to stand.
- Readers and rings: After the wedding party has walked in and found their places, the ceremony can begin. During the rehearsal, review the service order with the officiant, including the readings and the exchanging of rings.
- Order of recession: When the ceremony is over, you get to choose how your bridal party and family exit the venue. The couple usually plays uplifting recessional music to keep the bridal party moving on pace.
How Long Is a Wedding Rehearsal?
Most ceremony venues schedule an hour for the wedding rehearsal. Starting on time and maintaining the cooperation of the bridal party will help the rehearsal run smoothly. Before you rush off to dinner, make sure you’re happy with the execution of the details. The ceremony is an essential part of your wedding day, so be prepared to rehearse more than once to put your mind at ease during the wedding.
Who Is Invited to a Wedding Rehearsal Dinner?
You’re in control of who gets invited to the wedding rehearsal dinner. The purpose of the rehearsal dinner is generally for the bridal party to eat after they’ve practiced walking down the aisle. Since the rehearsal takes place in the evening, the bridal party will often have to miss dinner. To thank your friends and family for being part of the ceremony, the parents of the couple will usually provide dinner for them.
Depending on your circumstances, you may want to invite more family members and friends along with the bridal party. If you’re wondering who gets invited to the wedding rehearsal dinner, consider these rules of etiquette:
1. Inviting the Bridal Party and Close Family Is Essential
The guest list includes the bridal party and close family members, including your grandparents, parents, and siblings. Besides celebrating your union, the rehearsal dinner is also a way of celebrating the coming together of two families. The rehearsal dinner is an opportunity for loved ones to get to know each other.
- Along with your family and bridal party, you should also invite the officiant, the wedding planner and any readers or musicians. If your budget allows, try to give each member of the bridal party a plus-one. Consider inviting the parents of your ring bearer or flower girl, as well.
2. You Can Invite Extended Family and Friends
If you have a big family, you can host all of your aunts, uncles and cousins, but they don’t have to be there. You can easily invite your aunts and uncles if you have a small family. Consider asking your godparents or your favorite cousins to take part in this intimate gathering.
Close friends can also come to the rehearsal dinner if you have the budget for it. While you don’t have to recreate your wedding by inviting extended family and friends, you can have a party before the party with all your best friends.
3. Inviting Out-Of-State Guests Is Polite
The couple typically invites out-of-state guests to the wedding rehearsal dinner to thank them for the time and money they spent to be part of their special day. While this isn’t necessary, inviting out-of-state guests is a nice gesture to give them something to do while they’re in town.
If you have many out-of-state guests, consider having a welcome dinner the night before the wedding. Provide a space for your guests who have traveled from far distances to get a moment with you on this special occasion. Serve cocktails and light appetizers to have an intimate gathering before your big celebration the next day.
What to Wear to the Wedding Rehearsal
After the wedding rehearsal, you can enjoy dinner with your loved ones. What you and your guests wear should be appropriate for both practicing walking and going to a nice restaurant. The attire of your rehearsal dinner depends on your style and your venue of choice.
When considering what you and your guests should wear, keep these tips in mind:
- Be true to yourself: On the day before your wedding, wear what you want, not what others expect of you. While most brides wear a white outfit, you can dress in a bold color or striking patterns. Show off your unique style with an ensemble that differs from your wedding dress. If you’re wearing a lace gown with long sleeves, plan on dressing in a contemporary outfit for your rehearsal dinner.
- Communicate your desired dress code with your guests: Since there are no set rules regarding what to wear to a rehearsal dinner, state the dress code on the invitation. If you don’t send out formal cards, guests can follow the dress code implications based on the location and time of the dinner. If it’s an evening dinner at an upscale venue, they should wear elegant outfits. On the other hand, your guests might show up in jeans and collared shirts if it’s an outdoor BBQ.
- Complement the venue and season of your wedding: While you want to look and feel beautiful, you also need to be comfortable in your outfit. Pick your wedding rehearsal outfit based on the venue, the weather and the time of year. As you rehearse the ceremony, you’re going to be standing and walking for at least an hour. You will also spend most of the rehearsal dinner mingling and traveling from table to table. Wear comfortable shoes and an outfit that allows for plenty of movement.
- Let your formal wedding gown stand out on your wedding day: You and your guests can show up in outfits that are slightly less formal than wedding attire. Save your wedding gown until the day of the wedding, and tell your guests to wear their evening gowns during the reception.
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- Make sure your bridesmaids know what to wear: Some bridesmaids think they need to show up to the rehearsal in their bridesmaids’ dresses to get an idea of how they would feel. Instead, like you, they should wear comfortable clothes as they rehearse for the wedding and enjoy a meal with close friends and family.
Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Etiquette
The rules for wedding rehearsal dinners have become more flexible over the years. Plan your wedding ceremony rehearsal, so everyone knows what to expect. While traditional etiquette often clashes with modern trends, think about these tips as you plan your wedding rehearsal dinner:
- Decide who will host the wedding rehearsal dinner: Traditionally, the groom’s parents pay for the rehearsal dinner. Both sides of the family can split the cost of the rehearsal if money is an issue. If you’d rather be the one who plans the dinner, you can pay for it on your own.
- Let your budget be your guide: Your rehearsal dinner can be as elaborate or as simple as your budget allows. A simple budget can provide you with a small, intimate gathering among your closest friends and family members. Use the money you have to decide how many people to invite and what features to include.
- Decide if you’ll send out invitations: You don’t have to send written requests to your guests, but doing so provides everyone with the information they need. If you’re going to mail out invitations, send them a few days after the ones for the wedding. You may consider designating a go-to person for your guests to ask questions about the rehearsal dinner if you choose not to send out invitations.
- Create a seating chart: The rehearsal dinner is a chance for families to get to know each other, so establish an inviting, friendly atmosphere for your guests. If you have a formal rehearsal dinner planned in a cozy venue, put together a seating chart, so people feel included. For a casual rehearsal dinner, you don’t have to assign seating, but you can put conversation cards at each table to encourage your guests to talk.
- Determine who will make a toast: Unlike the wedding reception, toasts at a rehearsal dinner are often spontaneous. Your parents or the maid of honor may thank everyone for being part of your wedding. Members of the bridal party may give informal speeches as a way to poke fun at the bride and groom or to share from the heart.
- Plan out what will happen at the rehearsal dinner: The rehearsal dinner is an opportunity for you to thank your friends and family for all they’ve done to help you plan your wedding. You could give gifts to your bridal party or family members during the rehearsal dinner. At a casual get-together, you might also consider offering games for your guests to play.
Tips for Planning Your Wedding Rehearsal
Your rehearsal seems like a tiny detail in the grand scheme of your planning, but it’s essential to a successful wedding. To help the event go smoothly, consider these tips:
- Give yourself time to plan: Often, the wedding rehearsal is a last-minute decision that brides forget to plan. Think of this event as a chance to communicate your expectations with your family and friends. Your goal is to get everyone on the same page on the day of your wedding. Just like you would plan the floral arrangements or the music playlist, set aside a few hours to go over the essential items of the rehearsal and dinner with your fianc and wedding planner.
- Give your guests time to respond: Whether you send out invitations or not, invite your guests to the rehearsal dinner several weeks before the wedding. Giving your guests advanced notice of the rehearsal dinner allows them to make travel and childcare arrangements as needed. If you choose not to send invitations, you should have a point of contact, like an event page on social media, that guests can check for information regarding attire and timing.
- Research ways to save money: The rehearsal dinner doesn’t have to cost as much as the wedding. Whether you or your parents are paying, stretch your budget further by looking for deals. Book your rehearsal dinner in the late afternoon to take advantage of any early-bird specials. You could also save money by choosing a more casual venue.
- Consider your wedding theme: If your wedding follows a theme, carry the decor elements and color palette of your wedding into your rehearsal dinner. This party is a celebration of your love, so include intricate details in the location, menu, music and favors that highlight your personality.
- Announce and promote your wedding hashtag: If you and your fianc have created a wedding hashtag, share it with your guests during the rehearsal. Write it on a sign to display it on the day of your wedding. Put some members of the bridal party in charge of taking pictures and sharing the hashtag with other guests during the reception.
Make an Appointment at Alexandra’s Bridal Boutique in Southern Massachusetts
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While you’re planning the details of your big day, remember that no wedding is complete without the right dress. At Alexandra’s, we have a vast, ever-changing selection of elegant wedding dresses to make you shine during your celebration of love.
Schedule an appointment at our store in the New England area to find the dress of your dreams. For more information, you can text or call us at 508-679-8770.