Anyone having a rehearsal dinner?

Just a church rehearsal for us the afternoon before and then whoever is around may go for an early dinner somewhere. My parents have met my oh's dad and his wife but not his mum or sisters and they won't get to until the day of the wedding which might be a bit odd but we all live in different parts of the country and abroad so no chance to do it now.

Being from Canada, I consider them an integral part of the lead up to the wedding. Unfortunately I don't think we can actually have a rehearsal at our venue before the day of the wedding, so we're just having a family dinner the night or a couple nights before.

Usually it's for the bridal party and the bride and groom's immediate families, and sometimes any out of town guests who are already there. Usually a family member hosts (my uncle hosted the dinners for both my brothers), and it gives the families a bit of a more casual get-to-know-you night. It also gives a lot more people the chance to give speeches that you might not necessarily find appropriate for the actual wedding

I'm having a bit of trouble deciding what to do with ours, as I have a feeling everyone coming from overseas will be staying up in London until the day of the wedding, and then travelling down to Hever, so I might have to arrange something up in town, but I will be spending the night in Hever and it's a bit of a pain to trek all the way back down to the castle late at night. Oh well, I've got a year plus to plan.

We had exclusive use of our venue from Friday to sunday so on the friday night, we held a dinner for the wedding party, bridesmaids, ushers, BM, speach makers.

we did this as a thank you to them and also to make more of a weekend of things.

we didnt haev a rehearsal to speak of though ( after dinner and slightly tispy some of us did :-S ) so i wouldnt call it a rehearsal dinner!

i gaev a little thank you speach on the friday also my 2 brothers gave me away and my God father did a speach at the wedding breakfast so at the Friday night dinner my eldest brother gave a speach talking about my dad, it was lovely and i so glad he did it but i (and others) were in floods of tears so im glad he did it on the fri and it wasnt a wedding speach!

Being an American, I feel that a rehearsal dinner for at least the wedding party is really important. That being said, as another poster wrote, they don't seem to be catching on in the UK.

Under very traditional rules, it's often hosted by the groom's parents (as opposed to the wedding hosted by the brides's -- host = pay). However, we're paying for ours (just like the wedding). We're inviting the wedding party, their SOs, and then overseas guests (there is overlap between these groups). (If we invited out-of-town guests, we might as well re-invite the guest list). We want the dinner to be the time when we can thank the wedding party, as well as spend some extra time with those that are traveling so far.

Just want to note though that regardless who pays, I don't think it should be the guests! My FMIL suggested that the guests can pay for themselves -- since in the UK a rehearsal dinner isn't a done thing -- and I nearly died at the mention.

I agree!! My FIL suggested the same thing!! My family wouldn't say anything, but I know they'd disapprove. That being said, i have a feeling my uncle will be hosting again, as he seems to love doing them. He MCs them as well, and for my eldest brother he had poster-sized pictures of the bride and groom to go with hilarious stories of them growing up as told by random family members. Then for my other older brother he had a photo book made to show how they basically lived parallel lives even before meeting and we all told matching stories about them. It was tons of fun, and I wouldn't want to miss out on having the more relaxed and intimate rehearsal dinner.

Very considerate of you! I went to a wedding once (where my SO at that time was in the wedding party), where the reception was in town X (where everyone stayed), the ceremony in town Y (about 45 minutes away), and the rehearsal dinner in town Z (about 1.5 hours from the reception town). Great balls! This was in the State where there's basically zero public transport outside major metro areas. No transportation was provided between the ceremony and reception, and the fact that the rehearsal dinner was a 3 hour round-trip from where people had to stay created some grumbling amongst the wedding party and guests.

That being said, I don't see why your wedding party and out of town guests wouldn't be willing to go to Hever the night before the wedding? They'd presumably have to travel the next morning anyways, so why not the night before to enjoy some company together. The travel time doesn't look too bad (an hour?)

We did a similar thing.

We had our ceremony rehearsal at the church mid afternoon then we al went back for dinner at the house. It was informal and full of champagne! We didn't hold with the traditions re hosting - we hosted and paid for our wedding, and that evening was no different.

Not having a rehearsal dinner or run through . Although we myself and my close family ( parents, siblings , grandparents) will be staying in the same hotel the night before so will all have dinner together then and discusions of final plan will happen then. It will be nice to spend some time with us all together the night before and the other half with his family ( its rare that we get to) before we become part of the same family .

As we have so many overseas guests coming OH is hosting a dinner for 25 people at the RSC the night before our wedding. He really wants me to attend but I just can't face a big dinner party the night before the wedding so have declined. It will give him the chance to catch up with his daughters, relatives and friends before the big day. He isn't having a stag do so this will be his night! We are having an informal get together on the Thursday atour house so his family can meet mine for the first time which I think is a nice idea.

We've booked out the restaurant in the village (it's not huge!) and the whole wedding party plus guests from Australia and Turkey are coming too, 22 of us. i'm really looking forward to it! having this 6pm the evening before the wedding then heading our own seperate ways for the night x