How to Host a Gourmet Wedding Rehearsal Dinner

A gourmet wedding rehearsal dinner is a very fun way to bring together the families of the bride and groom the night before the wedding. Gourmet dinners are especially fun when the bride or the groom (or both of them) are known to enjoy great food and wine (and who doesn't?), but any couple would enjoy and appreciate having this sort of wedding rehearsal dinner. If you are looking for some tips and suggestions for how to hold your own gourmet wedding rehearsal dinner, see below.

Invitations. Print the invitations to your gourmet wedding rehearsal dinner on a recipe card, which each guest should fill out and return. These cards should be gathered together and later made into a family cook book that can be presented to the bride and groom.

Venue. This is the most important factor for your gourmet wedding rehearsal dinner, as your guests will not only need to eat the food but prepare it! You'll need ovens and stoves for cooking, stations for preparing food, and of course a place to eat. Choose no-cook items if your venue has limited cooking space - there are lots of delicious appetizers, desserts and even entrees that do not require an oven or a stove.

Décor. As guests arrive, they should be handed an apron. Each apron will have a recipe card tucked into its pocket. The recipe cards will be for either an appetizer, a salad, an entrée or a dessert. The aprons for each recipe should all be the same color, and the station where each course will be prepared should have a table cloth that matches the color of the apron. Ingredients and all of the materials necessary to prepare the course should be on the table.

Menu. Choose delicious gourmet items that are not too difficult to make (remember, not all of the guests will be chefs!) You'll need a salad, an appetizer, one or two entrees and a dessert. Tailor the menu to the number of guests who will be attending the gourmet wedding rehearsal dinner - smaller groups need fewer courses (for very small groups, have some of the courses catered and let your guests prepare the salad, appetizer and dessert.) And don't forget the wine!

Favors. Small bottles of wine are the perfect favor for a gourmet wedding rehearsal dinner, complete with a custom made label noting the couples' names and the wedding date. Tiny cooking utensils, which can be bought at craft stores, can also be attached to dried herbs or a small jar of preserves for another terrific favor. Place a customized label, again with the couples' names and wedding date, on the preserves to make this rehearsal favor even sweeter.

Source list:

Personal experience
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