4 modern ideas for
a rehearsal dinner
With all that time (and money)
being spent on planning a wedding,
a rehearsal dinner might seem like an
afterthought.
After all, how do you strike that balance
between starting off the wedding
celebration with a bang and not upstaging
the main event?
Here are four fun, unique rehearsal
dinner ideas to do just that.
1. Host a backyard BBQ blowout.
Who says a rehearsal dinner has to
be at a restaurant?
While a sit-down dinner might be
traditional, couples are going more
casual with backyard bashes.
Invite your family and friends home,
and let the creativity flow. Bring out the
buckets of beer, and cue up the ‘cue (go
for a potluck to get guests involved and
to save a bit of cash, or hire a caterer or
food truck).
2. It’s Mexican fiesta time! There’s
a reason folks go crazy for makeyour
own taco or burrito bars at restaurants.
Let your guests get their grub
exactly how they want it with a
Mexican-themed taco bar like the one
Heather and Charlie Hagy set up for
their summer rehearsal dinner.
Because their wedding was casual,
with a tented reception serving burgers
and brats, the suburban Chicago couple
also wanted a casual rehearsal dinner to
match.
The couple included a variety of
homemade taco fixings along with a
themed photo booth complete with
sombreros.
“I think the best part about the rehearsal
dinner was all the thought that
went into making it so unique,” Heather
Hagy said. “Our guests loved it, too, and
said it was a breath of fresh air compared
to other rehearsal dinners they’d
been to in the past.”
3. Break out the activities, from bocce
to bowling to bags. Whether you’re
thinking backyard BBQ or restaurant
affair, don’t forget about the activities
and games.
Set up cornhole or bags in the yard,
bring out the beer pong table or look
into restaurants that offer all that and
more. Think venues such as bowling
alleys, adult arcades or other “eatertainment”
venues that combine food with
games and fun.
4.Make it wine or beer o’clock. Make
alcohol the star of your rehearsal
dinner by looking into venues such
as neighborhood breweries or area
wineries.
Since many already offer them, you
always can include a tour or tasting to
begin the night.
By Renee Lee Wege
CTW Features
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