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Step 1
Determine the number of people you are to provide a meal for. Send out formal invitations and include an R.S.V.P. This will assist in controlling the number of those you are expected to provide dinner for, which will be helpful when maintaining your wedding budget. Also, be forthright in your insistence that attendees respond. Many times, family members will assume they are not required to respond, or that they can bring the same guest to the rehearsal dinner that they will bring to the wedding. Generally, rehearsal dinners are for bridal party members, immediate families of the couple, and family members from out of town who have arrived early. If you have a large family, decide whether to invite extended family to the dinner, as to exclude one member over another can cause hard feelings.
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Step 2
Choose whether to serve a buffet style or a sit-down meal. Though a sit-down meal would be more formal in presentation, a buffet-style dinner will be less expensive, and can be just as festive. Also, a buffet-style dinner will provide many passes at the buffet. If you are serving guests who've just arrived from out of town, they will probably be hungry and tired. Let them eat satisfactorily at the rehearsal dinner, as the evening of the night before the wedding will be busy enough.
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Step 3
Find restaurants or inns able to accommodate the size of the dining party. It is generally wise to add 10-15 to the final number. There may be guests who respond to your invitation later than you requested, and/or those originally thought to be attending, who may be unable to attend for one reason or another. Again, allow for these changes in your budget, as it can quickly get out of hand and away from your original plan.
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Step 4
Finalize your menu. If you prefer a sit-down dinner, the choice will be presented on an individual basis. In a buffet-style meal, choose a meat that everyone likes and one that is cost-effective, such as chicken. You are offering what is seen as a bottomless buffet, so to include an expensive meat will be costly in the end. Also, include a salad and a number of vegetable side-dishes, as some of the guests may be vegetarian or vegan. Decide on whether to have an open bar or a pay-as-you-go drink option. Many prefer a rehearsal dinner to be dry overall, especially if the wedding is to be held during the early part of the next day. If you choose to include alcohol as an option, always provide a bottomless drink choice, such as a soda, tea and/or coffee.
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Step 5
Consider the diet needs or preferences of guests. The rehearsal dinner is typically held the day before the wedding, and the attention of all involved is primarily focused on that upcoming day. But a well-organized rehearsal dinner can provide the couple with a special time of fellowship with close family and friends.
