Rehearsal

Basically you practice walking down the aisle. Timing to the music, getting attendant formations figured out, etc. Some can last 10 minutes and others can go up to 30. Some people find them helpful and others don't care either way.

I would find doing the morning of to be strange, since you're getting ready before the ceremony and many couples are traditional enough that they don't want to see each other before the actual event. At the same time, things like graduations are done with similar walks and no practice beforehand. Do what both you and your fiance are comfortable with.

The actual rehearsal is very quick, like 30 minutes. An hour if you guys chat and hang out or people are late. Do they have availability on a weekday, earlier in the day? It is usually the night before and then you have dinner with the family and wedding party. But people do different things for different circumstances.

View Quoted Comment We were trying to do maybe like a lunch instead of dinner. My fiancé doesn’t even get to have a bachelor party until the day before due to his friends being out of state like mine. And the venue just said they booked all of August.

You can pretty much do it anywhere. The purpose is really just to run through the walk in, so that everyone knows ahead of time where to stand, when to walk, etc. If you have a day of coordinator, he/she will often be at the rehearsal to help. It doesn't have to be a formal thing, and can be done almost anywhere. A public park, someone's back yard, wherever you have enough space to run through it real quick.

I wouldn't do it the day of, especially if you're not planning for the groom to see you before the wedding.

The purpose is to do a run thru of the entire thing. that way you can see how long it is, and just so everyone knows what to do

I just had this conversation with my venue today. i didnt know either. they said its not necessary they can do it right before the actual ceremony and bride and groom dont need to be there

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That's interesting. How would it work for the bride and groom not to attend?

View Quoted Comment They would do it for the bridal party and obviously bride knows shes coming in last and where to stand. groom could technically be there no one cares if they see him lol

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That makes sense! Is that done during the getting ready with attendants or before pre-ceremony pictures or when? Curious.

View Quoted Comment I believe any time before guest arrival.

Is your officiant someone from the venue, or is it someone you hired? If it’s someone you hired separately, you could use any type of space to do a rehearsal. For example, my brother and sister-in-law rented a private room of a restaurant for their rehearsal dinner. Everyone, including the officiant, mingled, had some cocktails, ate dinner, and then practiced the order of events, line ups, walking pace, etc. It wasn’t at the venue but really helped make sure everyone knew what do for the next day!

View Quoted Comment It’s an outside officiant! I just don’t want to spend more money to rent a place out /;

View Quoted Comment That’s a good idea! I didn’t think about that.

View Quoted Comment Personally, that would still stress me out.. I’d like to be a part of it lol

You can go through the ceremony the night before somewhere else with your officiant. If you want to go through the processional timing in the actual space, your officiant can do it once with everyone except for the groom, and once with everyone except for you. If you do it that way, yot and the groom don't have to see each other, and if you do it before you put your dress on, it won't feel like it's taking anything away from the real ceremony.

Our venue doesn't do rehearsals the day before, they do them like a week before but my future in laws are hosting the rehearsal dinner the day before anyways which is very nice of them.

Our Rehearsal Will Be In Our Backyard The Thursday Before Our Saturday Wedding. Our Venue Is At A Hotel And We Don't Want To Pay $40+ Per Person To Have our Rehearsal Dinner There.