Engaged 2026 | Page 30

Rehearsal Dinner Do’ s and Don’ ts
Rehearsal Dinner Do’ s and Don’ ts
The process of wedding planning involves more than just the ceremony and reception. It often takes a year or more to organize, given there’ s catering, transportation, invitations, and, of course, the rehearsal dinner to keep in mind. Before you start panicking, remember we’ re here to ease some of that stress.
To help you plan, we’ ve partnered with expert wedding planner Rachel Koger to share our top do’ s and don’ ts for planning a successful rehearsal dinner.
DO’ s:
DON’ Ts:
Do Invite the Right People
Don’ t Forget to Book Early
Keep the atmosphere relaxed and
You know what they say,“ the earlier the
enjoyable by limiting the guest list to the
better.” Koger suggests booking your
wedding party, immediate family and those
venue twelve to nine months in advance,
participating in the rehearsal.
especially if you’ re planning a large or
Do Coordinate Hosting and Budget Early Figure out who’ s hosting and covering
destination wedding. At a minimum, aim for five to four months out to ensure you get your desired place.
costs ahead of time. Koger recommends
Don’ t Make It More Formal
researching pricing in the twelve to nine
Unless you’ re intentionally planning a
months of planning to set a realistic budget,
black tie event, keep the vibe comfortable.
so there are no last-minute surprises.
“ Making it overly formal overshadows the
WEEK OF WEDDING
■ Send a timeline of the wedding day, a vendor contact list and a responsibility sheet to the wedding party and family members.
■ Have checks ready for vendors; include gratuities.
■ Pack wedding day emergency kit( granola bar, makeup, safety pins, bobby pins, etc.).
■ Pack for the honeymoon( if applicable).
■ Pick up wedding outfits.
■ Rehearse for the ceremony and attend rehearsal dinner; pass out thank-you gifts.
Do Send Invitations( Especially for Formal Events) Even if it’ s an intimate dinner, sending invites helps secure a clear headcount. For black tie or formal gatherings, invitations are a must.
Do Be Mindful of Dietary Needs Make sure the menu is all-inclusive to keep the evening flowing smoothly.
Do Combine with Welcome Event( If Desired) While the rehearsal dinner is distinct from your welcome event, you could combine both to keep it budget-friendly, especially if you’ re having a small, intimate wedding.
Do Use It for Toasts Use the time to get longer toasts out of the way, especially if you know you won’ t have time on the day of the wedding.
Do Keep It Close to the Ceremony Location Minimize everyone’ s travel time by hosting the rehearsal dinner near the wedding venue or where your guests are staying.
wedding day,” says Koger.
Don’ t Forget to Communicate Details Time, location, dress code, parking— make sure everyone has the right info to arrive stress-free and on time.
Dear Guests, Please Don’ t Wear White Remind guests that white is reserved for the couple, and that goes for all prewedding events.
Don’ t Overextend the Guest List We know it’ s tempting to want everyone there, but this event works best as an intimate gathering.
Don’ t Drag Out the Dinner Depending on the level of formality and guest count, the event length may vary. However, keeping it between the two- to three-hour mark ensures everyone has a great time and still gets enough rest before the big day.
Don’ t Forget to Have Fun! As Koger says,“ The rehearsal dinner is a time to relax and enjoy your family before the wedding festivities begin.” So take a break and remember that the key to a successful dinner is to make it personal and meaningful.
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES / GORODENKOFF.
28 | ENGAGED IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND 2026