The rehearsal dinner for my son’s wedding is in the books! And it was a night to remember. All the planning and wondering and worrying became a relaxing night of dining and enjoying getting to know both families.
You may be wondering what the first step is in planning a beautiful night for your son and future daughter-in-law.
First, you have to remember the purpose of this very important night. By this time in the wedding timeline, stress is high and people are tired. The main purpose for the night is to provide a comfortable place for all those involved in the wedding to unwind and enjoy being together. Choose a place that is comfortable for everyone, but especially the bride and groom. The space should be one in which the families can move around the room to visit with each other while enjoying a delicious dinner.
After you have chosen the venue, you need to choose the menu. I personally chose something that could be easily heated just in case the rehearsal ran a bit long. Whether you choose a favorite restaurant to cater your meal or you choose to provide the meal yourself, make sure you have plenty of help to serve and help the night run smoothly. Remember, as the groom’s mother, you are expected to be at the rehearsal and should be greeting guests as they arrive at the dinner. Recruit a few friends (I could not have done it without my “people”) who can take control of the night and make sure everything runs smoothly.
You’ve chosen the venue and the menu, but what about the decorations? I suggest you choose something that does not match the wedding decor but is something the bride enjoys, nonetheless. For our dinner, we chose to decorate around the bride’s favorite flower, the gerbera daisy. The centerpieces were floral arrangements with hot pink gerberas, burlap table runners, votive candles, and lots and lots of framed photos.
Ok, so you have the decorations planned, the menu decision made and the perfect place is reserved for your rehearsal dinner. Now you have to decide what will happen during the evening. My advice is to keep it extremely simple. Remember the wedding is the big party. This night is for taking a deep breath and spending some time blessing the bride and groom. As the hosts of the evening, the groom’s parents may want to have some words planned to say in front of the couple’s closest friends and family. I would also suggest opening up the room to stories, blessings, and memories shared by those in attendance. Chances are you will get some laughs and maybe a few happy tears.
As a recap, here are my top tips for planning the best rehearsal dinner celebration for the bride and groom.
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Choose a venue that is conducive to relaxed mingling
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Pick a simple but delicious menu that allows you, the hostess, to be available to guests
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Decorate the venue in a way that does not copy the wedding decor, but is something the bride enjoys
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Make sure you plan some words to say to bless the couple before their big day
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Don’t forget to relax and enjoy the night. You’ve worked hard. You deserve it!
Don’t forget to share your best photos of your son’s rehearsal dinner. We want to see!
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, remembering that as members of the same body you are called to live in harmony, and never forget to be thankful for what God has done for you.
Colossians 3:15
That was a wonderful night! Loved every minute of it!