Can we talk rehearsal dinner, What is everyone doing for theirs?

MIL is paying for ours and we are doing it at one of fav restaurants back home in NOLA in a private room. It's pretty casual though and since our BP is already siblings, that makes the guest list so easy. Immediate family, siblings and their SOs and my officiant and his wife.

We are also thinking about a lounge or bar after for welcome drinks on us for our OOT guests.

Edit: grammar and spelling

Thanks Erin! Rio Del Mar Mexican is close to my work and we were totally thinking there. So happy I asked <3

I forgot to answer who was there.

My two BM's and their families. I was already at 9 people. Both married with kids.

2 GM's with families. Another 6 people.

H parents

My parents plus Moms boyfriend. My Aunt who was in the wedding. Other Aunt who I am extremely close with. Cousin who was supposed to be a BM but didn't feel comfortable. Not her fault and I felt bad kicking her out of everything. Her husband and their 3 kids. Then my officiant and his wife who are really good friends of mine. It added up quick! We did open bar. We did not invite OOT guests because that would have been everyone. We did have a beach event that evening open to everyone.

We had ours at our house after the rehearsal with our parents & bridal party (& bridal party SO's), so about 18 people total. We ordered some trays of food from an Italian restaurant down the street & provided beer & wine. It was super relaxed & casual.

Just doing mine at a bar and grill. It's not going to be anything fancy. Yes people will be able to order drinks. We are just ordering off the menu I think. I don't plan on there bring any speeches or whagever just dinner as a thanks for coming. Not a late night event.

For my first wedding, we did it at a fancy restaurant and had a private room. We had place cards and menu cards made, and it was very lovely. I chose the menu and our chef was a contestant from Top Chef. I enjoyed it, but I would not do it again! It cost a lot of money, and it wasn't really necessary. It felt like another mini-wedding. It was a lot of added stress too. Everyone who found out about it pressured me to invite them to it (ie. not in wedding party, but family of bridesmaid who traveled from out of state).

This time I am doing something low key. FH and I would totally be happy going to Flanagan's to have a giant plate of nachos and beer.

No body needs added stress just before their wedding day!

@SoonToBeMrsCrush-Perfect! I can't remember the managers name. Really nice lady! They let you pick 5-6 menu items to make it easy. This was the menu I made. They printed it for us.

My In-law's are hosting, but we had decided that we were going to have it on the resort since we are planning a bonfire with all guests welcome after. It is just the wedding party and their spouses invited to the RD.

Kinda casual a cookout theme with a roasted pig - FH insisted he really wanted it. Oye.

We're doing brunch for the wedding party/spouses, and family and then having the rehearsal afterwards.

We are having pizza and drinks at our house. Only inviting my MOH, her husband, and another couple who will be in from oot. They're my best friends and we don't see each other often as we are all spread around the country. We wanted low key and chill.

I'm having a rehearsal luncheon as all of my bridal party lives out of state. We will have the luncheon from 12-3 and rehearsal starts at. 4. This is the day before the wedding. We're only inviting the wedding party and will have wine but no other alcohol due to timing.

FILs are hosting ours. They want to do it at the pizza place I worked at through college, it is unique to cincy, they have party rooms, and who doesnt love pizza? All in laws will be traveling in from out of town. So it will be relaxed, I don't want to do anything too big because hair wants to start at 8 am the next day.

My mom had catered appetizers and lawn games for her rehearsal dinner at her moms house. FH's brother had his at a bowling alley and ordered pizza.

Ours is at a restaurant down the street from our ceremony venue. FMIL has been planning the majority of it. It will be a small buffet with 3-4 different dishes, a sample of desserts/grooms cake, and free drinks. We invited about 30 people - OOT relatives coming in the day before, bridal party and their SOs/dates, and friends that are doing readings for our ceremony.

We haven't talked much about it, but my mom is renting a house so if we don't end up making reservations somewhere we may do a taco truck and various drinks at the house, which is what we did at my engagement. Our wedding is pretty formal so I don't really mind having a more relaxed rehearsal dinner the night before

We're doing Italian food. We found a super cute local Italian restaurant with a cute party room. We'll be serving pizza, pasta, beer and wine