Your reception is shaping up to be the glittering, exceedingly chic event that you’ve always wanted, and there’s little doubt your guests will be talking about it for years to come. But all the cool kids know the rehearsal dinner is where the real party starts. Though the pre-wedding bash is a long-established tradition, remember that it really only has one prerequisite: it follows the wedding rehearsal. Instead of making it an extension of the wedding, consider the rehearsal dinner a chance to host an event that’s fresh and unexpected.
Think about it: rehearsal dinners include a high concentration of people you love who have gathered in your honor; there’s no posing for photographers every few moments; and your hair won’t be piled in some extremely shellacked-but-breathtaking up-do you’ve never worn before (and will likely never wear again). So why not relax and, er, let your hair down? With very little effort, you can assemble a pre-wedding event that provides some much-needed calm before the busy storm of your wedding weekend.