Rehearsal dinner - invite bridal party significant others?

Yes SOs need to be invited

All SO's are invited. luckily they're all in relationships so I don't have to worry about true plus 1's...

As for inviting them to the rehearsal itself I'm not sure there is finite line. Our bridal party if 6 people, so I'm fine with SO's being there.

MRSFG gives a good example as to why you shouldn't have 10BMs and 10GMs - that's 20 plus their SO's and your parents- which is the only freaking way there should be 50 people at the actual rehearsal.

@Zoe That sucks that you traveled to the wedding and couldn't attend the RD. Situations like that always leave me feeling a bit confused. What color is the sky in that world where that is considered OK? Of course you invite SOs.

Yes, they should be invited.

@Cat yeah it was strange, I had to take off work on a Friday to fly down because FH had to be there for the rehearsal.

I have been told and brought up on the concept of SO's attend the RH as well as the BP. Just be prepared if it's a Thursday night that some SO's may not be able to attend, don't take it personally. FH has been in 2 weddings the past year and I was only able to make the 1 RD because of the timing.

We are including the SO I think it would be weird if we didn't.

I think the SO's should be invited. Also, my MOH has two (out of her three children) of her sons as my ring bearers. My FMIL thought it was weird to include her whole family in the invite (as in my other nephew and my BIL). I promptly told her they will be invited as well. Her family shouldn't be split up!!

Just things that make you got wtf?!

Yep, they should be invited! Especially if they're from out of town.

Yes, absolutely!

@MRSFG You sound like a really good friend!

SO's absolutely should be invited.

As part of her explanation as to why SOs should not be invited to RDs, MRSFRG wrote: "I'm sure they can part from their SO for 2 hours." Question? Why should they? There's just something so dismissive about that comment. Is solo-RD attendance a mandated part of this job requirement? It certainly reads that way. No joke -- if I was an honor attendant and told that I should be able to make it through a two hour RD without my husband, a nerve will be struck. In response, I'd tell you that I hope your dinner is a blast, but I'll be taking the rush course of aisle walking in the morning.

It is not only rude to bar the SOs, it's hurtful (and your attendants will discuss their displeasure among themselves). If you can't afford to invite the SOs, then bring the dinner down a few notches so that you can accommodate everyone. There's nothing wrong with a chain restaurant or pizza.

Yes, definitely. I'm telling them they can skip the actual rehearsal part if they want, since that part is boring. But they absolutely should be invited to the dinner. If you don't want to shell out for the SO's, skip the rehearsal altogether.

Well said (as usual) C'piece! Especially the "dismissive" part. It did seem there was a lot of "tough patootie-ness" to that whole spiel

I'm planning on inviting spouses and serious significant others, but if my bridesmaid has been dating a guy for a month and I haven't met him, it's a different story. But, I'm probably the outlier it seems.

I'm doing BP members, their SOs and immediate family. Which comes to around 30 people, which is what the rehearsal dinner venue FMIL booked requires for their minimum

We are allowing plus ones to all of our bridal party for both the wedding and the rehearsal dinner! I think it's important to have your VIPs feel comfortable!

@Samantha, think about what your bridesmaids are doing for you. At the very least, buying the dress you ask her to buy, and showing up and standing next to you on your special day. Many bridesmaids go above and beyond the bare minimum: they buy you gifts, they host parties for you, they help you with DIY projects if you ask them to, they spend a lot of money and time to celebrate you.

Don't you think that the nice thing to do would be to allow her to bring a guest to dinner as a small token of your appreciation? Does it really matter if you didn't meet him before?

Please Samantha, listen to Jacqui's great advice!

Yes, SO's should be invited. In the last wedding we were at the entire bridal party were very good friends with each other but it still felt great to be able to bring FH for the dinner.