Who Should be Invited to the Rehearsal Dinner

If you are thinking of tying the knot, well, go ahead! However, before you think of how and when to do that, perhaps you should sit back and give a thought to the minute details of the whole event! The rehearsal dinner, the d-day, the venue and umpteen more things which need to be taken care of. Talking about rehearsal dinner, it is a very important affair which happens a day before the wedding and is almost customary as well as mandatory. As the name suggests, it is a rehearsal before the actual wedding, to help get the bride and groom into that mode. One of the major issues about a rehearsal dinner encountered by the couple is rehearsal dinner etiquette - who is to be invited and who should be given the miss. Let us see what do we have here about that.

Etiquette for Rehearsal Dinner Invitations

Is it necessary at all to invite guests for the rehearsal dinner?
Well, there have to be some guests, right? Otherwise what is the whole purpose? So, minimum guests have to be invited. Traditionally, taken care of by the groom's family, a rehearsal dinner guest invitations usually are within the immediate family and some significant others. It is the bride and groom's wish about whom to invite, eventually as far as wedding etiquette is concerned.

What about the Invitations?
This depends totally on the number of guests on the invitation list. Formality can vary but invitations have to be given. E mailers are fine, but in case the couple wants to make it personal, they can have hand written wedding invitation notes for the attendees. Consequently, RSVP's have to be anticipated and taken care of.

Who is to be Invited?
A question encountered by those involved in the wedding is who should be invited to a rehearsal dinner. The answer to this very tricky question is that the immediate family of the bride and groom, including parents, grandparents and siblings if any, have to be there at the rehearsal dinner. I think that goes without saying. In addition to that, a few very close friends of both the bride and groom who are going to be a part of the wedding party are invited. Further, the wedding officiant and his or her spouse have to be there, along with an active participant in the whole affair like a pianist or a church organist. In case of the parents, if the situation is complicated, like there is a divorce or something, it is apt in the rehearsal dinner etiquette to invite parents who are actively involved in the event. They can bring along their current spouses.

Dealing with Out of Town Guests
Another issue is that is it necessary to invite the guests who are not in the same town. The simple solution to this query is that out of town guests need not be invited. In situations, where you have to invite out of town guests, send the invitation at the eleventh hour, so that you won't feel bad even if they cannot make it. Sounds cruel, but sometimes you need to do these things.

It is the Bride and Groom's Take
Even if the above points are considered in rehearsal dinner etiquette invitations, ultimately it is the bride and groom have to take the call as to whom to invite and all the issues regarding the invitations. At the same time, it is preferable if the couple is not hasty in preparing the list of invitees. Showing courteousness towards slightly irritating guests has also to be done sometimes.

Last but not the least, all is well that ends well. If the guests are happy and the couple is satisfied, that all the people who are most important in their lives are there on that ever important day, the purpose is served! The problem of rehearsal dinner etiquette, who is invited would be amicably solved then! Good luck!