7 Unique Rehearsal Dinner Ideas
From casual ideas to putting on an upscale event, these fun rehearsal dinner ideas will help you plan a great experience!
Do you know that the wedding rehearsal and dinner are usually one of the last things to get planned? It’s pushed down the to-do list because…well…let’s be honest, there are SO MANY other important details to plan.
That’s why we wanted to give you some great ideas for a wedding rehearsal dinner so you can take one more thing off your long list!
Having a weekend wedding at Cider Mountain means you already have the venue for the entire day and night. You’re just steps away after being done with the rehearsal to start the dinner celebration.
Here are 7 ways to make your rehearsal dinner fun and memorable at Cider Mountain!
1. The Casual Backyard BBQ Bash
One causal rehearsal dinner idea (and maybe the easiest to plan) is having a BBQ—complete with a fire pit and some lawn games. What’s great about this idea is that it can range from super casual to pretty extravagant, depending on your theme.
Choose to serve burgers and hotdogs, kabobs, or steak and seafood; Make your own side dishes ahead of time, or hire a caterer to make it all in our on-site commercial kitchen while the wedding rehearsal is happening.
You can use the lawn games we already have at the venue, ready for anyone to play, or create a full-on competition between the wedding parties!
Whichever you choose, this rehearsal dinner idea will bring smiles and laughter all around.
2. The Wine and Dine Soirée
If you love wine tasting and all that it entails, then this is the kind of rehearsal dinner you’ll want to plan! Think smoked salmon, charcuterie boards, bruschetta. Sure you can also plan a main dish, but a grazing table can be so much more than your ordinary cheese, meat, and crackers!
Create your own taste-testing rating cards (or find them online) and have a variety of wines available for sipping. You can even make it a game! Ask guests to bring a bottle of their favorite wine just for this very night. Then the bottle with the highest rating wins a great gift basket!
This rehearsal dinner idea combines food, entertainment, and fun interaction between family and friends. It’s a great way for people to get to know each other too if you’re bringing people together who haven’t met.
3. The Cultural Cuisine Combo
Are you bringing two cultures together in this marriage? Use the rehearsal dinner as a time to celebrate and experience each one!
Feature favorite family dishes from both cultures and take guests on a cultural journey. Find ways to incorporate other traditions throughout the night too, with music or activities. You can even ask family members to share memorable times or stories about the food or the traditions surrounding it.
What a special and memorable wedding rehearsal event it will be for everyone!
4. The Mystery Dinner Theater
Okay…this one takes a bit more planning…and willingness from guests to play along, but it will be well worth it! It’s a wedding rehearsal dinner with a twist!
There’s a variety of murder mystery dinner games online that give you details on planning and tips for making this event a success. Just be sure to give guests their characters a few weeks in advance so they can be sure to get costumes ready!
And imagine if everyone was dressed as their character for the wedding rehearsal too! This is an incredibly fun rehearsal dinner idea!
Don’t want to do all the planning or participating? There are murder mystery dinner players for hire. Bring them up to the venue, sit back, and enjoy the show!
5. The Creative Pizza Extravaganza
Everyone loves a good pizza. Does anyone remember making homemade personal pizzas as a kid? Well bring that into adult life, but in an elevated style!
With ready-made pizza crusts, this rehearsal dinner will be a breeze, but look like it’s upscale! You’ll need to have a plethora of pizza toppings available in cute dishes, at multiple making stations. Guests will be able to build their own pizza with their favorite toppings.
We’re not just talking about pepperoni though. Lay out the ingredients for the pear-prosciutto-gorgonzola pizza or the BBQ chicken pizza. Give them the classics as options, but put some extra class on it with these elevated toppings.
Then, because you’re at Cider and have access to the commercial kitchen, the pizza will be ready to enjoy in no time! It’ll be fun to see the creative combination of toppings your wedding party will come up with!
6. The Boho-Chic Picnic
Schedule your rehearsal for earlier in the afternoon and then have an upscale picnic! Create spaces throughout the lawn and patio areas of Cider Mountain where people can relax and enjoy a charcuterie board, gourmet sandwiches, and fresh salads.
Think blankets and pillows or rent cute couches and oversized chairs to give each sitting area a festive mood.
7. The Food Truck Frenzy
Do you have a favorite food truck? Or maybe 2? Cider Mountain has space for that! Hire them for your rehearsal dinner and let guests order what they’d like. Many food truck vendors will allow you to create a dish specific to the event, so you and your soon-to-be spouse will have something special just for that night.
Food trucks are a great way to bring in diverse foods, meeting everyone's tastes or giving adventurous foodies a chance to try something new. They also allow you to not worry about planning food or much clean-up. You’ll be able to sit back, enjoy your guests, and eat some great food the night before the biggest celebration.
Whether you’re on a budget and need to stay low-key or want something extravagant exclusively for the wedding party, family, and closest guests staying with you over the weekend, these wedding rehearsal dinner ideas are sure to get your creative envisioning going so you can get to planning and check it off your to-do list!