Rehearsal Dinner

A rehearsal dinner is a pre-wedding ceremony in North American tradition, usually held after the wedding rehearsal and the night before the wedding ceremony.

The guests generally include the couple to be married and others who form the wedding party, but may also include extended family and out-of-town guests. The rehearsal dinner costs are traditionally incurred by the groom's parents. However, modern traditions allow for either the bride's or the groom's parents to incur these costs.

The purpose of the rehearsal dinner is for the relatives and friends of the bride and groom to meet and have a good time. The couple generally takes this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped with the wedding preparations. Activities generally include toasting (or roasting) and the presentation of small gifts for those who have helped plan the wedding.

Weddings
Pre-wedding
  • Engagement
  • Wedding planner
  • Save the date
  • Bridal registry
  • Bridal shower
  • Engagement party
  • Wedding invitation (History)
  • Chinese pre-wedding customs
  • Bachelor party
  • Bachelorette party
  • Stag and doe party
  • Marriage licence
  • Rehearsal dinner
Locations
  • Wedding chapel
  • Gretna Green
  • Las Vegas
Clothing
  • Black tie
  • Boutonnière
  • Contemporary Western wedding dress
  • Garter
  • Hwarot
  • Morning dress
  • Tuxedo
  • Wedding dress
Objects
  • Chuppah
  • Las arras
  • Lebes Gamikos
  • Wedding cord
  • Wedding favors
  • Wedding mandap
  • Wedding ring cushion
  • Wishing well
Participants
  • Bride
  • Groom
  • Bridesmaid
  • Bridesman
  • Flower girl
  • Groomsman
  • Page boy
  • Officiant
Traditions
  • Wedding reception
  • Ahesta Boro
  • Banns of marriage
  • Bridal Chorus
  • First dance
  • Handfasting
  • Hesitation step
  • Indian Wedding Blessing
  • Jumping the broom
  • Money dance
  • Music
  • Polterabend
  • Pounded rice ritual
  • Pyebaek
  • Trash the dress
  • Unity candle
  • Walima
  • Wedding March
  • Wedding photography
  • Wedding videography
Food and drink
  • Wedding breakfast
  • Wedding cake
  • Wedding cake topper
  • Cookie table
  • Groom's cake
  • Hochzeitssuppe
  • Icingtons
  • Jordan almonds
  • Korovai
  • Loving cup
  • Place card
Religion and culture
  • Anand Karaj (Sikh)
  • Arab
  • Ayie
  • Ayyavazhi
  • Bengali
  • Bengali Hindu
  • Brunei Malay
  • Chinese
  • Hindu
  • Islamic
  • Iyer
  • Jewish
  • Mormon
  • Oriya
  • Persian
  • Poruwa ceremony
  • Punjabi
  • Quaker
  • Rajput
  • Vőfély (Hungary)
  • Zoroastrian
Nationality
  • Vőfély (Hungary)
  • Iceland
  • Pakistan
  • Philippines
  • Russia
  • South Asia
  • Sri Lanka
  • Ukraine
  • United States
  • Vietnam
Honeymoon
  • Honeymoon registry
  • Consummation
Other
  • Elopement
  • Marriage
  • Marriage vows
  • Royal weddings
  • Wedding anniversary
  • Wedding crashing
  • Wedding customs by country
  • Wedding vow renewal ceremony
  • World Marriage Day

Famous quotes containing the words rehearsal and/or dinner:

    Tremble: your whole life is a rehearsal for the moment you are in now.
    Judith Malina (b. 1926)

    In dinner talk it is perhaps allowable to fling any faggot rather than let the fire go out.
    —J.M. (James Matthew)