The location of your rehearsal dinner can set the stage for your event. There are no rules when it comes to your celebration, so venues can range from a fancy restaurant to a backyard to a beach or a barn. “What tone are you trying to set? Based on that answer, book your venue accordingly, and the decor and menu will naturally follow,” recommends Easton.
When evaluating potential venues, consider the guest count and distance from the main wedding venue. It’s helpful to find a location close to where you have a hotel block in place; you should also provide transportation for guests, if possible. Naturally, you’ll need to consider your budget. Different venues offer different amenities—or, lack them. Certain outdoor event spaces without a nearby kitchen will need equipment brought in for the day, for example. And while Carter loves how a restaurant already has in-house catering and decor to work with, she advises you take privacy into account, if you’re not doing a buyout. “Sometimes a rehearsal dinner is in a separate room but you can still hear the outside ambiance of the restaurant,” she notes, going on to point out that, if you’ve got speeches on the schedule, you don’t necessarily want strangers listening in.
Easton also shares that it’s important to have a handle on logistics. “Always ask what your install ‘start time’ is before signing a contract, especially if you’re booking a restaurant,” recommends the planner. “If the answer is 3 p.m. (after lunch service), your planner and designer have a pretty tight window to make the magic happen, depending on your vision.”
When choosing vendors, both Carter and Easton agree that it’s best to stick with the team you chose for your wedding day. “We encourage our couples to keep the vendor team consistent throughout the weekend as it keeps a creative synergy flowing between all of the events,” says Easton. “You’re also conserving time and energy by building off an existing relationship rather than starting from scratch.” Your wedding planning team already knows you, your style, and what you’re looking for, in other words; working with them on the rehearsal dinner can also save money. “It generally helps with pricing because you’re probably paying tax and labor fees one time,” notes Carter. “All of those things tend to add up and sometimes your vendors are a little bit more lenient if they’re already going to be setting up the day before.”
Choose the Menu and Ambiance
Catering by Let’s PretendPhoto: Courtesy of Belathee for Storied Events