5 Wedding Rehearsal Ideas To Get The Party Started

The eve right before the wedding day, the closest family and friends of the bride and groom to-be gather to celebrate greater things to come. Rehearsal dinners have become a big part of the wedding occasion even though it isn't necessarily a part of the wedding day itself.

The rehearsal dinner takes place after the rehearsal of the ceremony. All the members of the bridal entourage along with a few other special guests. Out of town folks could be invited to get acquainted with the wedding party and to also serve as an official welcome from the couple. The evening's festivities include toasts, giving of the groom's cake, handing out the bridal party's thank you gifts and a few other games to liven up the night.

When it comes to personalizing the rehearsal dinner, the couple actually has the entire creative freedom as to what the theme should be and how everything turns out. The challenge is to make it memorable, to be a great introduction to the love-filled wedding weekend ahead. Here are a few ideas to break out from the usual sit-and-dine rehearsal dinners.

Feature the Honeymoon. Too excited for the romantic getaway after saying the I do's? Give the guests a front-row sneak peek of the honeymoon by featuring the destination during the rehearsal dinner. Bring the guests along the tropical islands with tiki torches, colorful garlands and hibiscus everywhere. Heading to Europe? Make the guests wow over miniature Eiffel tower key chain favors and fascinate them too with backdrop photos of the gorgeous landscapes of London.

Game Night. If the couple tying the knot are complete sports fanatics, then this theme is surely made for them and their friends. Transform dinner into a sports bar and have everyone up in their spirits within minutes. Swap the dinner courses for finger food snacks and tail gate treats.

The Lucky Pair. Try the lovers' own hand at doubling their money right before wedding day with a casino rehearsal dinner theme. Arrange for a few tables of poker, black jack and roulette then watch the playing guests go wild. Be sure to inform everyone before hand and also use play money or controlled chips to keep everything light and fun.

King and Queen of the Alley. For an awesome, active and effective ice breaker among two sides of the guest list, have the whole crowd play bowling for the night. Divide them into two teams, it could be the boys versus the girls or the brides' team against the grooms' team. Keep in mind that there's still a wedding by the next day, so start early to have the game end early too.

Home-cooked, country-style BBQ dinner. Celebrate being a part of a family and also being able to start the couple's own family. At the backyard, fill in the picnic tables with heart-warming dishes specially made through the family's own secret recipe. Great food and wonderful company can pretty much sum up an unforgettable night, right?