You’ve said yes and now the planning begins…

So you have made it you have the perfect venue, menu, guest list, and much more, and it all comes together in just 24 hours. But first, you must complete the wedding rehearsal this includes rehearsing the ceremony and the rehearsal dinner. This can be a nerve-racking and daunting task for most wedding parties but it does not have to be.

We break down exactly what your wedding rehearsal should look like and give you the knowledge you need to ensure your wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner go smoothly and effectively so that you’re ready for the big day.

The Wedding Rehearsal

A wedding rehearsal is when the bride and groom get everyone together who are involved in the wedding.  This should include the Bride and Groom, all the Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Flower Girls, and Ring Bearers.  It is helpful to have the readers and parents there.  It’s usually not necessary to have the musicians or DJ there.

A Royal Ashburn Golf Club coordinator will be assisting your wedding party through a “walk-through” of what will happen during the ceremony.  If you have readers or musicians, they don’t need to take up everyone’s time by practicing at the rehearsal. The Bride and Groom should practice their vows on their own.

The Rehearsal Dinner

The rehearsal dinner is traditionally held the night before the wedding. Since the rehearsal dinner has become more of a celebration in its own right than just a formality, some couples are holding the event two nights prior to the wedding. This way, there’s more time to relax, recuperate, and get ready for the main event.

Why have a Rehearsal Dinner?

The dinner is a great opportunity for your two families to get to know each other before the wedding day (if they don’t already know each other well) in a not-too-hectic setting.

Take Advantage of the Relaxed Environment

Come wedding night, you’ll most likely be pulled in too many directions to put in any real quality time with anyone. The ultimate goal here is to relieve some prewedding tension and make everyone invited feel comfortable with the impending nuptials while not upstaging the big event.

Who to Invite

At the very least, the rehearsal dinner guest list includes immediate family (parents and siblings), wedding-party members and their spouses or significant others, and the parents of any child attendants (inviting the children themselves is optional). You should also invite the officiant and his or her spouse to the dinner (they may not come, but it’s the polite thing to do).

Once you have done this all that is left is to get married! Be sure to follow these guidelines to make sure your rehearsal goes smoothly and all that’s left to worry about is saying I do. If you have any more questions about your wedding rehearsal give us a call at Royal Ashburn we will be happy to help you with any questions you have.