7 Great Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Ideas For A Fabulous Night

Your wedding rehearsal dinner is really so much more than just a rehearsal! Your friends and your family have been by your side for years, doing everything possible to make this day a reality. Now, as you practice for your ceremony, this is also a time to celebrate with them and thank them for all the moments they’ve supported you throughout this day. If you have been looking for ways to make this time stand out, I would love to help you out with some wedding rehearsal dinner ideas!

As a Hudson Valley wedding photographer, I recently worked on a rehearsal dinner and welcome party with Lovely Events that I can’t stop thinking about. Here are some wedding rehearsal dinner ideas to consider for your event! 

Plan A Fantastic Celebration With These Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Ideas

Make It a Colorful Affair

Emily and Kyle held their wedding at the end of summer, and all of those bright and cheerful colors were prominently on display! By adding colorful flowers and vibrant stationery, your rehearsal dinner is going to be picture-perfect! 

Intimate Dinner, Party After

Once your rehearsal is over, you can host a dinner complete with speeches and memories. Then, once the food is gone, turn up the music and celebrate the fact that you’re one step closer to your happily ever after. Kyle and Emily invited everyone to a party afterwards, complete with live music!

Create a Wedding Weekend

Why not take things up a notch and turn this into a wedding weekend? The couple decided to invite their friends and family to rent out cottages so they could spend this time together. As a result, they made tons of new memories. 

Personalized Notes

When you look out into this crowd, you are going to see the people who brought you to this point. So, why not let them know how much they mean to you? Before their guests arrived, Emily and Kyle had replaced traditional namecards with personalized notes as a sweet way to start the night. 

Custom Details

Don’t be afraid to weave in your personality throughout. Kyle and Emily did this in several ways, from customized venue matchbooks to carefully crafted cocktails with edible flowers. You can even host this rehearsal dinner at a place significant to you to really set the mood. 

Speeches

There are a few people who will be expected to give speeches throughout the night, including the parents as well as the couple themselves. But most likely, your guests are going to have a lot to say. I love the idea of hosting an open mic session, so anyone who wants to give a speech will have the chance to do so.

Other Ideas to Consider 

There are so many ideas out there to really take your day up a notch. Here are some of my faves: 

• Make it a theme party and ask people to dress on point. 
• Rent a photo booth and bring along some props.
• Bring in a food cart.
• Include a group activity, such as a wine tasting or a brewery tour.

I Would Love To Help Capture Memories From Your Own Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Ideas

Hopefully, these wedding rehearsal dinner ideas help you as you start to plan your rehearsal dinner. Now, it’s time to find the photographer who can capture it all. I can help with that, too! As a Hudson Valley wedding photographer, I love working with couples to document every second of their wedding weekend. If you want to see whether we’re a match, let’s chat about it! Send me a message today to find out more! 

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Thank You To All the Vendors Who Made This Possible!

Photographer: Nicole Detone Photography
Planning: Lovely Events
Venue & Catering: Valley Rock Inn
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Floral & Lighting: Enza Events
Stationery: August Lane Creative
Rentals: Glam Party Rentals
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Bride’s Attire: Ramy Brook
Makeup: Makeup By Lucas
Hair: Andria Tobey
Groom’s Attire: Tom James