While many people know proper dinner etiquette, one may be confused about what to do when invited to a wedding rehearsal dinner. Luckily, the rules are simple and easy to follow. While you might not be kicked out for not obeying the proper etiquette, you also want to give a good impression to the bride and groom.
You do not have to dress like you would to an actual wedding, but you still want to look your best. Most rehearsal dinners require a button down shirt and tie as it's usually in a very upscale location. Women usually want to wear a dress, or something that's both comfortable and elegant. To go along with this, you will want to inquire with the parties in charge of any special attire requests.
Rehearsal dinners aren't actually about the food as much as the event that the dinner is celebrating. I would strongly advise you to not be the first person to the buffet table, as it looks good to mingle amongst the crowd. You may have to wait for an announcement, or for that matter a few toasts. Be prepared to nurse a glass of champagne as you celebrate with your table.
After dinner is served, there is usually a long break before dessert. During this time, I would get to know the people around your table. Welcome small talk with open arms. If you came with a significant other, then try not to just keep the conversation restricted between the two of you.
While somebody has to be the first person to leave, I would recommend that you wait until a good majority of the people depart before you do so yourself. This gives you an opportunity to speak with some of the hosts, the couple to be wed, and anyone else that helped create the dinner. This will definitely leave a good impression and show that you didn't just go for the free food. Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure you tip your server if you asked for anything that deviated from the standard menu. This is absolutely imperative if an open bar is on location. Remember that you may need a rehearsal dinner of your own one day, so you want to leave a good impression for those involved.
Overall, try and have a pleasant time. If you dress nice, act social, and just make sure to follow these simple steps, then you will surely be invited to more rehearsal dinners.
Ricky Dean writes about various topics. For more info about rehearsal dinner etiquette, visit Dinosauric.com, a content sharing site.
Ricky Dean writes about various topics and is an active contributor to Dinosauric.com.