How long should Rehearsal Dinner Be?

That is way too long. When and where is your rehearsal? 2-3 hours is plenty.

4 hours is too long. 2.5-3 hours is enough time to eat, make toasts, and socialize.

I'm thinking ours will be two hours with 25 people. Three hours including the actual rehearsal part.

Thank you everyone for the input! I will tell FMIL to do 6:00, we'll wrap everything important by 8, and then whoever wants to can sit & drink free wine till it closes at 9, does that sound good?

Maybe I'm not understanding the concept of a RD but we were just going to present gifts to the BP and thank everyone for all they've done. I could be wrong since I'm still learning a lot of wedding etiquette. But, can't you just leave the venue early if you finish early? Unless you're paying for it per hour instead of that just being a block?

ETA: If it's a matter of start time then that's a totally different story. Shouldn't the start time depend on when the rehearsal actually finishes and where the dinner is?

@OP, the plan you mentioned in your last comment is perfect! My best friend did a similar time frame at hers and it was plenty of time. We stayed for the free wine!

Thanks so much SaraJ!

Ours was 5-830. People started to eat at 630

ETA. We didn't had a rehearsal, it was a family get together at a restaurant, since we had no BP

@Malei, the rehearsal time and dinner time are often planned in coordination with each other.

Every wedding I've been involved in where I attended the rehearsal, there's often a few toasts/roasts. The couple thanks the families/host if they're not hosting themselves, and then it's just a leisurely dinner with everyone enjoying each other's company.

Ours is 3 hours long. Enough for mingling and drinks and a sit down dinner. We are having 38 people.

You can start the dinner as early as you'd like. Just because you can be there until 9, doesn't mean you have to be. I say the earlier, the better. I want a good night's sleep that night.