Hello Again!

Planning is one of the most important parts of a wedding and all the special events that surround a wedding. Unfortunately, small but important times can be forgotten if one does not stay on top of wedding plans. One of the events that can get overlooked is the rehearsal dinner. The rehearsal dinner allows family and friends to slow their pace and catch their breath before the most important time arrives-the wedding!

The time leading up to a wedding can be very crowded with all the preparations that go into such an event. No matter how busy things become, most families take time for the rehearsal dinner-and for good reasons.

Rooted in antiquity, it has a secure place in wedding history. The rehearsal dinner was, and is, usually hosted by the groom's parents. The forerunner of this dinner was designed to scare away any evil spirits that were lurking about to attack the couple. Noise was considered the best way to scare such spooks away and those dinners were very rowdy! Today we take a more relaxed attitude toward the rehearsal dinner and enjoy the quiet respite during the sometime madness that sets in as the wedding date gets closer. While the groom's parents still usually pay for the rehearsal dinner, the bride, her family-or both-often contribute to the funds for the evening. The evening of the rehearsal dinner usually ends early so that all can get a good night's sleep for the wedding the following day.

The types of dinners that families choose for the rehearsal dinner are as unique as the families who choose them. Some families prefer a backyard barbeque for a large number of family and friends while others prefer a small, formal affair with only the wedding party and their guests at a country club. These choices-or anything in between-are appropriate in today's etiquette. If they have not already done so, the bride and groom often give their attendants their presents sometime during the evening.

As usual, the most important thing is that you choose the arrangement that works best for you and yours-and enjoy yourselves!

Until next month -
Greta Chaney