| Planning a rehearsal dinner should be fun and exciting. | | | | If they are showing you a fixed menu that is not to |
| Here are some rehearsal dinner ideas that can lessen | | | | your liking, tell them what you want. Then ask them to |
| your stress and allow you to embrace and enjoy | | | | rework the price based on your menu choices. The |
| every minute of the planning process. Having just | | | | flexibility they show you is all important because if the |
| hosted our first rehearsal dinner, I can share some | | | | venue is not willing to work with you when they are |
| good advice to help put together a wonderful | | | | trying to get your business, they most likely will not be |
| celebration. Before you start your plans, talk to your | | | | so accommodating once you have made the booking. |
| couple and ask what type of dinner they would like. | | | | The venue we settled on was terrific from the |
| I don't mean just the menu, but the whole event. Some | | | | beginning. We gave them our budget and guest count |
| couples may want a formal multi-course meal with a | | | | and then they worked with us from there. Instead of |
| large guest list; others may want a quiet and cozier | | | | having an expensive cocktail hour with stations, they |
| celebration. By talking with them, you can see if what | | | | suggested passed appetizers. I was a bit hesitant, but |
| they want is what you can afford and adapt | | | | it worked out beautifully. Everyone spent the cocktail |
| accordingly. Even though it may be your party to plan, | | | | hour visiting with each other instead of checking out |
| it is after all their celebration. So work together with the | | | | the food. |
| kids and with some careful planning you can host the | | | | The restaurant made sure there were plenty of |
| dinner of their dreams. | | | | h'ordeurves constantly offered throughout the hour. |
| The most important advice I can extend is to find the | | | | Our kids wanted a casual affair. They did not want a |
| right venue. You need a place that will work within | | | | huge 6 course dinner that could be competing with |
| your budget, be responsive to your needs, has good | | | | their reception. We did a Pizza and Pasta menu that |
| food and an attentive wait staff. So if you are | | | | was just wonderful. A bit out of the ordinary and |
| considering a venue that you have never visited | | | | nothing that was on their usual party menu, but our |
| before.. GO there for dinner first. You don't want to | | | | venue was happy to do whatever we wanted. I had |
| waste your time with a place that has poor service or | | | | made table decorations and floral centerpieces which |
| tasteless food no matter how beautiful it may be or | | | | were delivered earlier in the day. I had left specific |
| how many great reviews you may have read. Keep in | | | | instructions on how I wanted these arranged on the |
| mind that in these economic times you are in the | | | | tables. No problem for our attentive contact; he |
| driver's seat, so don't be afraid to negotiate with the | | | | followed my instructions and we were thrilled with how |
| venue. If they give you a per head bar package that | | | | lovely everything looked when we arrived at the |
| bumps up the price, check and see if you can do just | | | | restaurant. It is the attention to detail, the level of |
| beer and wine. Some places will not offer that option | | | | cooperation and responsiveness that underscores a |
| unless you ask. | | | | terrific venue partner for your dinner. |