Rehearsal Dinner Invite Wording Ideas for the Big Night
Your rehearsal dinner is the ideal opportunity to gather with your nearest and dearest before one of the biggest moments in your life. It’s a time filled with love and joy, so naturally, you want to share that excitement in your rehearsal dinner invitation.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of creating and sending your rehearsal dinner invitations. Plus, we’ll share some of our favorite rehearsal dinner invite wording examples to help you craft a message of your own.
When to Create and Send Your Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Invites
Design: Ashley Ottinger
When it comes to wedding planning, there are timelines and deadlines everywhere. Your wedding rehearsal dinner is no different. You want to send your invites in a timely manner but not so early that people might miss them.
Aim to send your rehearsal dinner invitations 3-5 weeks ahead of the big day. Sending your invites within this timeline gives people enough time to RSVP and plan ahead.
Also, be sure to send them separately from your wedding invitations as not everyone who is invited to your wedding ceremony will be invited to the dinner rehearsal.
Who to Add to Your Rehearsal Dinner Invite List
Rehearsal dinner guest lists are much smaller and more intimate than a wedding guest list. Traditionally, the rehearsal dinner is limited to those who are in the wedding party (like bridesmaids) and others who have helped make the wedding happen. That can include the officiant, wedding planner, immediate family members, close friends, and their plus-ones.
However, feel free to break from convention. Your rehearsal dinner is likely the last special occasion before you say “I do,” so who you invite is completely up to you.
What to Include in Your Rehearsal Dinner Invitation Wording
Design: Annie Montgomery Design
Now that we’ve covered the “when” and “who” of sending your wedding rehearsal invitations, it’s time to review some other important details. Here’s everything you need to include in your rehearsal dinner invites to prepare your guests and get them excited about the event.
Date and Time
Make sure your guests know when to join you by clearly including the rehearsal dinner date and time. Most rehearsal dinners happen immediately after the wedding rehearsal itself, although it can take place on another date close to the wedding day.
Sometimes you’ll have people coming to your rehearsal dinner who couldn’t make the rehearsal itself, or who you simply wanted to invite even though they’re not part of the wedding party. As such, it makes perfect sense to clearly state the date and time.
Rehearsal Dinner Location
Once you’ve confirmed the date, let your guests know where the dinner is taking place. Include the full address including street and ZIP code — especially if you have out-of-town guests.
Your rehearsal dinner location will depend on a variety of factors, including your venue, budget, party size, and formality of your wedding. If available, some couples host the dinner onsite at their wedding venue, either in the restaurant or other dining space. Others reserve a private room or book a table at a nearby restaurant.
If you’re on a budget, gather your group and grab a bite at a local burger joint, followed by a stop at the best bar in town. Whatever you decide, your rehearsal dinner should feel authentic to you and be a moment to enjoy, not stress out about.
Name of Host(s)
Your rehearsal dinner invite should reference the host’s name. This is a great way to give people a heads up on who they should get in touch with about the event. It’s also a thoughtful gesture to show gratitude towards the host(s) if you are not paying for it yourself. This is a traditional feature from when rehearsal dinner etiquette suggested that the groom’s parents paid for and hosted the dinner, but these days it’s every couple’s choice.
Guests of Honor
Of course, your rehearsal dinner invite wording must include the names of the happy couple. How you style this section is completely your choice. You might decide to include your full names if it’s a more formal invitation, or you could go more relaxed and simply include your first names or the nicknames your loved ones know you as.
Dress Code
There’s nothing worse than showing up to a big event underdressed or overdressed. Remove any worries from your guests’ minds by stating your dinner’s dress code. You can also mention a fun theme or color scheme here if you have one planned.
Weddings are often formal events by tradition, but yours might be the opposite. And even for the most formal of weddings, the rehearsal dinner is more understated and relaxed. If your wedding is black tie, formal or cocktail attire could work. For a more casual wedding, you might suggest your guests show up to your cozy rehearsal dinner in whatever they’re most comfortable in.
How to RSVP
Once your guests have read through the details and feel excited to join you for your event, they’ll need to know how to reply. At the end of your rehearsal dinner invite, share how guests can RSVP and clearly state the RSVP date.
For a more formal invitation, you could include an RSVP card that people fill in and mail or email back to the hosts. Other options include a phone number, email address, or wedding website where people can RSVP.
Perhaps the easiest option of all: Greenvelope’s digital invitations allow guests to RSVP directly from the invite — making things easier on both sides.
Other Details
Every invite is different, which means your rehearsal dinner invite wording might feature extra details or sections. While you don’t want to make your invite too wordy, other things to cover can include menu options, transport details, or a link to your wedding website.
With Greenvelope, you can include all this information in your invitation’s details panel to keep your main design clutter-free and visually stunning.
Beautiful Rehearsal Dinner Invite Wording Examples to Inspire You
Coming up with the right words isn’t always easy — even if you know which exact details to include. To help you find some wording inspiration, here’s a selection of our favorite rehearsal dinner invites. Use these examples to guide your own rehearsal dinner wording and design.
Distinguished Monogram Invitation
Design: Annie Montgomery Design
You’re invited to the wedding of
Penelope Douglas
and
Kellum Holmes
At seven in the evening on August 21st
Two thousand twenty-two
Belo Mansion
Dallas, Texas
Customize it: Distinguished Monogram
Boho Beach Party Invitation
Design: frau brandt
Please join us for a
Rehearsal Dinner
Honoring Cathleen and Thomas
Saturday, August 24, 2021
at 5 o’clock in the afternoon
Jordan’s Beach House
5227 Laguna Drive. Malibu, CA
Kindly RSVP by August 10
Customize it: Boho Beach Party
Statement Invitation
Design: M. Taylor Design Co.
Brandon + Annalise
invite you to their rehearsal dinner
September 6, 2023 / 6pm
Jensens Supper Club
3480 Rahn Road
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Hosted by William and Tamara Hamara
Customize it: Statement Invite
Create the Perfect Rehearsal Dinner Invites Today
With your wedding rehearsal dinner taking place so close to the big day, it’s no surprise that it’s a moment filled with excitement and anticipation. A thoughtful rehearsal dinner invitation can help express that joy.
Take inspiration from the rehearsal dinner invite wording ideas and tips above to invite your loved ones to the celebration in style. Pair your beautiful wording with one of Greenvelope’s stunning rehearsal dinner invitation templates, then customize it to match your event and style perfectly.
