Do you HAVE to have a Rehearsal Dinner?

If you don't have a rehearsal, you definitely don't have to do a rehearsal dinner.

If you don't have a rehearsal, you don't have to have a rehearsal dinner. It is a thank you for your BP and any family that attends the rehearsal. Some people also make it a welcome dinner for their OOT guests, so that might be a reason to still have one even if there isn't a ceremony rehearsal, but it's not necessary.

No rehearsal, no rehearsal dinner is required.

Nope, definitely not required.

Nope, not required.

We aren't doing a rehearsal or dinner but my family has asked that we do a low-key happy hour so our families can get to know each other a little better before the big day.

For those of you who didn't do either, was the processional still easy to do?

No you should only have a dinner if you have a rehersal. I am having a rehersal dinner i think if your paying money to a venue they need to accomadate you to have a rehersal mines will be 2 days before for my wedding. Im getting marry on a saturday and friday is booked with another event so my rehersal will be Thursday. See if the venue can offer any day of the week of your wedding. Rehersal should be included. You would want your wedding party know what to do so everything runs smoothly

Agree with PP, its not required

We had a same-day rehearsal the morning of the wedding, but we still hosted a rehearsal dinner the night before. Our wedding was out of town so the wedding party was having to drive in and stay in a hotel the night before anyways, so we still wanted to have a nice meal for them.

My husband and I didn't have one but we also had a small wedding (35 guests). We didn't even do a run through before the ceremony. Thankfully, we all did great :-)

No one actually needs a rehearsal, therefore no need for a rehearsal dinner.

To ask people to give you another evening of their time only to be told " start walking now. When you get to the front go left and stop. Stay there until the ceremony is over. When you leave, take the arm of the groomsman on the opposite side?", is a waste of time .

If you have to schedule that unnecessary rehearsal two days before the wedding because the venue is unavailable the night before, I would make it clear to any out of town wedding party members that they are not expected to attend, or cover the costs of them having to take another day off work and pay for another night of accommodation and meals.

If you don't have a rehearsal, you don't need a dinner.

If you have a bridal party, you and your officiant should organize the processional order ahead of time so that the coordinator at the venue can line everyone up and send them down the aisle in a timely way. You do not want to be figuring that out on the spot.

You could still do a casual dinner to thank them, even if you don't rehearse.

@muriel I'd disagree, some people actually do need a rehearsal, depending on how many people are walking down the aisle, whether it be grandparents or whatever. I'd prefer it, but if it's not feasible then I'll be flexible.

I have a day of and month of who will be handling these details, so I'm not worried.

We're not having a rehearsal, just a quick walk through the day of the wedding. We are doing a dinner the night before, just a casual get together with our families who we don't get to see often.

We are having a rehearsal, but doing a ice cream social before dinner. Everyone will be on their own for dinner. Trying something s little different.

Not required at all

A rehearsal is not necessary, therefore if you don't rehearse, you don't need the dinner.

However, if you DO rehearse, you are required to feed the people after

I always thought it was a "thank you" type deal as well. I've also seen that OOT guests are supposed to be invited, so I'm wondering if you would need to take them out if you're not doing the dinner? Hmm....

Friends of mine are having their "rehearsal dinner" a few weeks before the wedding. It's just a BBQ at the bride's parents house, so it won't be at the venue bc it's not available the day before. So they're having everyone get together beforehand to meet each other. So it's not a formal rehearsal dinner, but I would say you can go without having one.