Who gets invited to the rehearsal dinner?

Typically, those who are participating in the ceremony and those who attend the rehearsal are invited to the rehearsal dinner. In this case, I probably wouldn't invite everyone from out of town to the rehearsal dinner, unless you wanted to make it a welcome dinner to anyone attending the wedding.

We’re just inviting those involved in the rehearsal and their partners. So parents, bridal party, and their dates.

Typically only those involved in the ceremony. Plus significant others and the officiant. Plus ones for singles are not invited and neither are random traveling guests.


Also in many circles, the rehearsal dinner is very casual at a local inexpensive casual restaurant or pizza delivery. Dress code is casual as well.
You can host traveling guests at a welcome party but keep it within budget and don’t ask anyone to pay themselves if you are hosting. These are optional and may or may not be common in every family/social circle.

I’m curious about this too. Because We’re not doing bridesmaids or groomsmen. And I’m paying for the wedding.

About 80% of our guests are from out of town. We are planning on doing a low key welcome party inviting all bridal parties and plus ones+family+out of town guests. We rented out an event space (from Peerspace) for 3 hours and planning on serving Hors D’Oeures and drinks. We will let people know that we will be at that address from 5:30-8:30pm, and they can come and leave at anytime.

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Thanks all! We're doing welcome baskets for everyone, but we may try to do a welcome party also. It'll probably just be pizza and pretzels (because Pennsylvania).

I didn't know this rule until my mother-in-law pointed it out, but yes, if a guest is traveling from out of town, even if it's someone you know really well and see all the time, then yes, they're invited to the rehearsal dinner. Anyone who's going to be booking a hotel room should be invited. Originally I thought it was only immediate family and the bridal party (in our case, most were both), but then my mother-in-law told me, and my sister/maid of honor confirmed it. I didn't know that because neither of my sisters had traditional rehearsal dinners. My husband also invited a local friend and his family who wasn't part of the bridal party (although had my husband met him a year or two sooner, he would have been), and I didn't know about that one until the last minute. I think that was mainly because he has two little kids who really wanted to somehow be a part of the wedding, but we were having a no-kids wedding (apart from immediate family).