Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
piscescutie2002
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Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
We are starting to freak about wedding expenses. Now I have to pay for 2 or 3 shuttle vans since the hotel isn't near the RH and I want them to have a good time since most have over an hour to drive back home. I have 5 BM's, 3 jr BM's, FG, RB, 5 GM and some out of town relatives plus our parents. How can we afford a rehearsal dinner on top of all these other wedding expenses? Is it tacky not to have anything?
MrsDR2010
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
I don't think so. If your BP knows your situation they will understand....
I had a friend that went out to dinner after the rehearsal and the BP paid for their own meals. No one felt any way about it...it was a good night and we had a good time and hung out with the bride and groom
MnM182008
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
We were so tight on cash before our wedding. I couldn't see spending another 2,000 on dinner. I had a party catered at my house cost us less than 600. Everyone had a great time, and there was no pressure to eat fast, and rush.
decemberbride
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
In these hard times no its not considered cheap to not give a rehearsal. I don't really understand the point of them myself. Wedding cost so much money I can't comprehend another added expense.
We are doing something really small for ours.
heathery72
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
I don't think it would be cheap. We might not have one bc of when we would be able to have the rehearsal. You could also do something in someone's house if you wanted to.
Roccosgirl
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
Posted by MnM182008
We were so tight on cash before our wedding. I couldn't see spending another 2,000 on dinner. I had a party catered at my house cost us less than 600. Everyone had a great time, and there was no pressure to eat fast, and rush.
Thats what I was going to suggest. If you have a party at a house at least that will give you a chance to spend time with the bridal party.
JenBill61210
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
have you tried looking into other options like maybe having it catered at home? i think that would be a cheaper option
springsandra
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
I honestly don't think anyone could consider people planning a wedding 'cheap' for not going for a zillion extras. So I wouldn't worry about that.
You may still want to have a get together the day before or the week before the wedding for bonding purposes (and also to rehearse!) so some of the other options other posters have suggested may be a good idea. Do you have a local family home that would be conducive to having several people over? If you don't want to cater an entire dinner, make it a pot-luck? That would cut down on expenses and give friends and relatives the chance to show off their own cooking. (Plus, people usually bring something they like to eat, so everyone will be well-fed.)
Get creative and no one will ever even consider the fact that money is the driving force behind your decision not to have a formal rehearsal dinner!
Just as an aside, we did dinner at the hotel for our RD and it ended up costing me $800 (I know because I charged it myself). I was fortunate enough to receive enough gifts at the wedding that the $800 was covered the next day well in time to pay the cc bill. There are definitely reasonable places to have RDs out there that won't be anywhere near $2k. We had 23 people at our RD.
little j
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
if you look heard enough, you can find affordable option. maybe even something simple at a friends house with a hero?
chelley720
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
I dont think were going to have one either unless someone offers to pay for it I dont think well have the money for it. I plan on just having ppl come to my parents house and just ordering pizza and hero's its just going to be a few ppl and I'll be too stressed about the wedding to have to worry about another party/dinner.
Cassie15
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
Absolutely not. RH is mostly just a celebration to get families & friends together so they can give their congratulations and blessings before your wedding day. If you can't afford it, explain to your parents and families, this is something out of your budget due to the cost of the wedding. If you want to do a nice get together, host a dinner party. Find a date that is good for everyone and do a small simple dinner. Something easy to prepare- salad, appetizer (dips with pita chips, trays of cheese & veggies, crostini sandwiches, etc), baked chicken or pasta dish, and simple dessert. If you can find friends or family members that can help, that's even better, cook and mingle to catch up.
CarolAnn721
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
I don't think it is considered cheap. Your rehearsal dinner is like a Thank You to your bridal party. Just have them over to your house and have some drinks and sandwiches.
LaBellaVita622
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
You do what you can. If you can't everyone will understand.
Tetelove
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
We will most likely have a rehearsal dinner but my Mom will most likely cook. We will most likely have a small bbq and call it a day...
piscescutie2002
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
Having a dinner some other night might be a good option. I don't even want to have our rehearsal the night before my wedding, a Friday night. I get too wound up and we have sooooo many people in the wedding and out of towners. I need to chill out the night before the wedding and sleep.
I can't see having people over our house that night so close to the wedding. We are a pooped bunch over here! :) So, either a separate event or at a pizza place in the back room which won't cost much, right after the rehearsal.
Had to think this one thru so thanks for the suggestions.
tiffanykiss
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
I don't think it is tacky at all. IF you do want to get people together just do something realyl small at your house like a brunch or something. It's difficult times and people will understand.
Bee12
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
Posted by tiffanykiss
I don't think it is tacky at all. IF you do want to get people together just do something realyl small at your house like a brunch or something. It's difficult times and people will understand.
i agree.... right now, its time to do what you can..
tmcnair414
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
I don't think it's tacky at all.
Watever143
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
Didn't have one.. It wasn't in our budget and we didn't have a rehearsel anyways.. But we did want to give our bridal party their gifts so we just had a bbq at dh house
PROBM
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Re: Is it considered cheap not to give a rehearsal dinner?
sent u fm regarding shuttles , dont waste your money
as far as rd lots of my friends had a gathering at monohans on bell which is 20 dollars a person for buffet in the upstairs room , or you can just go to a nice bar and order some apps on bell like Donovan's which has great space or bourbon street etc just to get everyone excited for the next day and break the ice for people who have not met yet
