Rehearsal Archives - theBrideScoop

TIP TUESDAY: Ultimate Rehearsal Dinner Checklist

January 31, 2012 By Guest Writer 1 Comment

Thanks to our friends Kim Forest of the Washingtonian for this amazing article to plan the ultimate rehearsal dinner.

The Expect: Jamie Sears of Simply Chic Events ~ follow on twitter or facebook or blog
Her best rehearsal dinner advice: “Make your rehearsal dinner the complete opposite of your wedding. For example, if you’re having a formal wedding, keep the rehearsal dinner laid-back, casual and fun. Why not plan a Mexican fiesta or a clams-and-crabs party? Don’t use the same color scheme or theme as your wedding, either. Do the opposite, so you’re not giving away all the surprises of the next day! Don’t wait too long to start planning your rehearsal dinner. Secure your location as far in advance as possible; nine months to a year beforehand is ideal.”

TIP TUESDAY: Ultimate Rehearsal Dinner Checklist

Casual Rehearsal Dinner (Photo from www.bucadibeppo.com)

Planning your pre-wedding bash? Follow our checklist to ensure your wedding eve is memorable for all the right reasons.

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FOOD FRIDAY: Rehearsal Dinner

January 13, 2012 By theBrideScoop Editor Leave a Comment

Almost everyone hosts a rehearsal dinner of some kind. Do you go upscale or for comfort food?

Please include restaurant, city and state in your response.

FOOD FRIDAY: My Thoughts on Rehearsal Dinner

November 4, 2011 By theBrideScoop Editor 1 Comment

My apologies for all the devoted readers of our Food Editor Gourmet Rambler but Tatiana is ill this week so I am going to step in and share my two cents about rehearsal dinners.

Wedding professionals contracted for, invitations sent, designer gown in alterations, wedding rings ordered, bachelor and bachelorette parties scheduled… what else? Ahhhh… rehearsal dinner. And just when you thought there were no more ways to create drama with your fiance, you found another one!

FOOD FRIDAY: My Thoughts on Rehearsal Dinner

Casual Rehearsal Dinner (Photo from www.lesliewalkerblog.com)

Who to invite? Where to go? What is the budget? Do we want formal invitations or an email? What to eat? It is a mini-wedding reception in and of itself!

Since today is FOOD FRIDAY and I am substituting for the fabulous Gourmet Rambler, I will confine my thoughts on the rehearsal dinner to the food. I know that sometimes the grooms’ parents want to show off with a fabulous steak dinner – especially if you are having your wedding in Chicago – but more than likely, the bride and groom have selected steak for their celebratory meal. So, please consider what is being served for the dinner after the wedding – sorry MOG’s but that trumps your selection!

I also really like family style. Why you ask? Because it gets people talking to each other and interacting. Many of the bridal party people will not know each other so it is a good ice breaker. And it can be less expensive – so maybe the grooms’ parents can help out with the Sunday brunch!

I had a bride and groom who were paying for everything themselves and they just could not figure out what they wanted to do with their guests. The wedding reception was at a country club in the suburbs of Chicago and, for them, it was a pretty fancy event. So, we talked about what they liked to do on date night. Portillo’s and a movie. And there it was… a fun, inexpensive and delicious taste of Chicago for all their guests!

YUMMO!!! (Photo from www.bucadibeppo.com)

My husband and I selected Buca di Beppo in downtown Chicago for a number of reasons. It was close enough to the hotel so we could walk and point out the sites to our guests who had never been to Chicago. The kitschy decor was fun, the Italian food was an homage to his heritage, family style got everyone talking and the free flowing wine and beer made for a fun and memorable evening. All for around $40 per person inclusive of tax and gratuity!

Please do not get me wrong! I love our Chicago steak houses and there are so many great ones to chose from… but think about the food for the entire weekend. And especially in Chicago, we have a style all our own and there are so many fabulous restaurants (with private rooms) that are available for you to entertain your special guests.

Claudia Antony Zompa is Principal of AS YOU WISH – An Event Planning Company and Editor-in-Chief of theBrideScoop. To read more about what Claudia has to say, follow her on twitter and facebook or give her a call at (312) 920-9330.

TIP TUESDAY: Do we have to feed ‘em twice?

October 11, 2011 By SQN Events Leave a Comment

Really? Do you have to feed all of these people TWICE?

One of the most controversial subjects that comes up during the wedding planning process is the rehearsal dinner. Typically, parents firmly believe that all out-of-town guests should be invited the night before the wedding. After all, guests are traveling an extra day and paying for two nights in a hotel. The least you can do is feed them, they argue. (When discussing this topic with my own husband this morning, we ended up agreeing to disagree. We’ll see what happens in about 15 years when we are the hosts of our own kids’ weddings!)

TIP TUESDAY: Do we have to feed em twice?

Time to Celebrate Your Wedding! (Photo from wideopenspaces.squarespace.com)

On the other hand, out-of-town guest lists these days are often twice as large as guests that live in nearby areas. This is due to kids going to colleges far from their hometowns, making friends that then end up scattered about the country and even distant family members dotted across the nation. In other words, if you invite everyone to the rehearsal dinner, you often have a “mini” wedding the night before the real one.

Yes, it is called a rehearsal dinner. But remember, the word “rehearsal” refers to the actual rehearsal of the ceremony that takes place to familiarize the bridal party and key family members of how the ceremony will run, where they will walk, etc. Just a little something to help ease the stress of the next day and to make everyone a little more comfortable with their roles.

The out-of-town guests don’t rehearse where they’re going to sit, do they? Of course not. So, why are they invited to the rehearsal dinner?

Here’s another thought. Your out-of-town guests may actually not want to spend every second of their trip with you and your family! They may be quite excited about exploring a new city and don’t want to stick to a schedule of planned activities for two days.

A possible compromise is to have an intimate rehearsal dinner (or even luncheon) with your bridal party and very close family members one day, and a VERY casual “Welcome Dinner” the night before the wedding for out-of-town guests. By casual I mean, “Stop by for drinks and a bite to eat” at a local pub with a private (or semi-private) room and encourage people to come and go as they please. No video or slideshow (I’m telling you, no one wants to see it aside from your parents and grandparents) and no “open mic night”. This is a celebration of your wedding, not a roast.

Save that for the bachelor and bachelorette parties. And just ditch the video altogether. Please.

Beth Bernstein is Owner and President of SQN Events. To read more about what Beth has to say, read her blog or follow her on twitter and facebook or give her a call at (773) 469-6095.

IN THEORY: Sealed with a Kiss

July 28, 2011 By theBrideScoop Editor Leave a Comment

Remember the first kiss of Kate Middleton and Prince William on the balcony? Remember how it was such a dry, unpassionate kiss? Remember being disappointed? Remember how the second kiss did not quite make up for it?

You practice everything else at the rehearsal. We highly suggest you practice kissing your future husband – several times!

Wedding Kiss (Photo from www.neilcowley.com)

Why, you ask? You have already kissed him hundreds – scratch that, thousands of times – some in passion, some in greeting, some as a wake up, some in leaving. It should just come naturally, right?

NO!!! Sealing your becoming husband and wife with a kiss is one to remember. Do you go all Prince William and be stiff uplipped and proper? Or do you go all Carmen Electra on your groom? With tongue? A dip? More chaste? Can he touch your hair? These are all questions that need to be resolved before you seal the deal.

In theory, kissing your husband should not cause any anxiety. In reality, you want your wedding kiss to be memorable but not make anyone uncomfortable.

CS Brides Presents An Afternoon of Bridal Luxury

July 27, 2011 By theBrideScoop Editor Leave a Comment

Brides ~ This is an afternoon not to miss! Chicago Social Brides invites you to An Afternoon of Bridal Luxury. Wonderful venues, awesome wedding professionals, champagne and a luxury swag bag – what’s not to love?!?!

COUNTDOWN: 12 Days to Wedding!

July 11, 2011 By Mrs. Jen Leave a Comment

Hi Everyone!

WOW! I can finally say it is our last full week of work before the wedding! I got a nice surprise and didn’t have to go in to work today because of the horrible storm. It knocked the power out so I actually got one non-weekend day to catch up on the little things for the wedding.

12 Days & Counting! (Photo from www.artistswhothrive.com)

One task I undertook was starting to look for a rehearsal dinner dress. I didn’t find “the one” yet but I definitely got some ideas. Two weeks and we will be Hawaii bound!!

Thanks for reading!
Jen

NoMI: Rooftop Cocktails & Caviar

June 3, 2011 By theBrideScoop Editor Leave a Comment

Some days it is just AWESOME to be in Chicago! And today is one of them! Why? Because NoMI is reopening today, Friday June 3, with a revamped look and menu.

NoMI Terrace (Photo by Steven Johnson Photography)

NoMI Terrace is as gorgeous as ever! And quite possibly the perfect place to drink champagne!!!

NoMI Restaurant now features an open kitchen with Molteni oven and a new cheese cave.

NoMI Lounge ~ well… let’s let them say it: “The ideal place for a lite bite, tea for two, soiree at sundown, the perfect nightcap”.

NoMI Spa is also recreated but we’ll save that review for another time.

NoMI
800 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 239-4030

For more information, follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

For Guys: Great Groomsmen Gift

June 2, 2011 By theBrideScoop Editor Leave a Comment

Thank goodness for your bride – she has loved the entire wedding planning process and pretty much did everything without you. Pretty darn awesome! But – oh no! Now you have to make some decisions – ON YOUR OWN!

What to get your groomsmen as a thank you gift?

We really like the Gorham 5-Piece Personalized Flask/Cigar Set in Wood Box by Lenox. As they say “This flask/cigar set is smokin’. For the gentleman who enjoys a good cigar and a good drink. The set is a great gift for the guy on the go.”

Gorham 5-Piece Personalized Flask/Cigar Set in Wood Box by Lenox

Done. And you are one step closer to being as cool as James Bond

Love sushi? Try Sushi Para M!

May 23, 2011 By theBrideScoop Editor Leave a Comment

We are HUGE sushi fans! So, when a friend suggested checking out Sushi Para M on Milwaukee Avenue in Bucktown for their $18.99 all-you-can-eat sushi, we were a bit skeptical. How good could the sushi be for under twenty bucks? And what kind of weird restrictions would they have on ordering?

So we went, hungry, and we LOVED it! No… we REALLY LOVED IT! Sushi Para M is our new guilty indulgence. And what is even better than AWESOME all-you-can-eat sushi for $18.99… it is BYOB with zero corkage fees!!!

The all-you-can-eat menu features a couple of soups, appetizers including seaweed salad, edamame, tempura and gyoza, a dozen or so various types of nigiri, all the regular rolls and several specialty rolls. Our favorite is the Crazy Tuna Roll with seared pepper tuna and avocado inside and spicy tuna on the top outside. Each piece if really two bites! There are also other items which you can order for an extra charge like toro or sashimi.