Mother's Rehearsal Dinner Responsibilities

Listen up, Mother's of the Groom, this blog post will be especially helpful for you! In this day and age more and more couples are starting to mix and match which traditions and customs to follow when it comes to planning the smaller events leading up to the big day, such as the rehearsal dinner and the bridal shower. It's important to remember that each couple is unique and that you should always consult the bride and groom before making any plans to ensure you coincide with their wishes. That being said, we're giving you a crash course on your responsibilities as the Mother of the Groom when it comes to the wedding rehearsal dinner.

Traditionally, the groom's parents are expected to host and pay for the rehearsal dinner. The dinner used to take place the night before the wedding, but now it is becoming more common for it to occur up to a few days beforehand (this allows the wedding party some time to straighten out any last minute details before saying "I Do.") If you've never done this before, you may be asking yourself "What is the purpose of the wedding rehearsal?" Basically, the rehearsal dinner is just that - a rehearsal for the big day. It typically involves meeting at the ceremony location so that the wedding party can walk through their basic responsibilities for the day of the wedding. The dinner usually follows after and can be as formal or as casual as you'd like (this is where it becomes important to communicate with the bride and groom). The dinner is a chance for both families to get together and socialize, especially if you have family members from out of town since it may be difficult to get everyone together again in the future.

Here are some timeline tips to keep in mind: We recommend that you book the venue as soon as possible, but generally somewhere within 3-6 months out should be fine. If you're planning something more casual, you may be able to wait even longer, but it's always safer to plan ahead. We also recommend that you send out invitations no later than 4 weeks out from the event, after the wedding invitations have been mailed.

What's most important is to remember not to get too caught up in the planning and organizing that you forget to enjoy the event. It's a time to learn and grow as a connected family and share in the laughter and love that will surround everyone in this happy time. So, eat and drink and spend time with the bride and groom and never forget why you're all together!

P.S. Brides and Grooms: The rehearsal dinner is a wonderful opportunity to hand out any small gifts you have for your wedding party and especially your mothers! We are in love with these adorable ideas that can get mom ready for your special day!

If you still need ideas, check out these links. They have great tips for rehearsal dinner etiquette.
Mother of the Groom Duties
Rehearsal Dinner Etiquette

Questions? We'd love to hear from you! Leave us a comment! 

Photo Credit: theknot; etsy; etsy; bridalguide; chelseapatriciablog