Is there a toast at the rehearsal dinner? (2023)

Is there supposed to be a toast at rehearsal dinner?

Traditionally, rehearsal dinner speeches are given by the Father of the Bride or the Father of the Groom. Sometimes the Maid of Honor, Best Man and Bride, and Groom can give short rehearsal dinner speeches or toasts of their own, but it is not mandatory.

Who Gives a Rehearsal Dinner Toast? The host of the rehearsal dinner (traditionally the father of the groom in a heterosexual couple) gives the first speech. This person is followed by members of the wedding party that won't be speaking at the reception (typically anyone other than the maid of honor and the best man).

The mother of the groom can give a speech or just a toast at the rehearsal dinner, as she is one of the hosts of the event. There are some details that a speech should include, such as special memories, stories about the couple, and of course, the toast.

How long should the speech be? Rehearsal dinner speeches should be less than five minutes. Two to three minutes is the sweet spot.

The fathers of the bride and groom typically give speeches during the dinner. Rehearsal dinners are also a great time for sharing special memories in speeches given by any bridal party member. You can also invite other guests to participate in the story-telling.

While this speech has traditionally been given at rehearsal dinners, it's not unusual for the mother of the groom to speak at the wedding reception, either. If you're struggling to put words on paper to express the joy, happiness, and love you have for your son, you're not alone.

The groom might opt to escort his mother down the aisle and to her seat in the front row, followed closely behind by the groom's father. This gives the groom an opportunity to give his parents a hug before taking his place at the altar.

How much should you tip? Gratuity is typically included for a large restaurant event, anywhere from 18 to 20 percent. If you're using an off-premise caterer, tip the catering staff 15 percent.

Do the grooms parents give a toast?

Give a Toast

Traditionally, there's a father of the groom speech, as well. You'll want to keep your toast short and sweet, but be sure to tell your son how much you love them, address their new spouse, thank everyone for coming to the wedding, and offer some parting wisdom or advice for the newlyweds.

What should the mother of the groom say at the rehearsal dinner? The best mother of the groom's speech acknowledges the man he has become, welcoming the bride to the family, and includes a humorous anecdote from his childhood.

It's Not Common... While it's quite common for the bride and groom to bring gifts to the rehearsal dinner (which they'll distribute to their parents and their wedding party), it's unusual to see guests arrive with a gift in hand, as well.

The Hosts. Traditionally, the groom's parents are the hosts of the rehearsal dinner, since the bride's family customarily pays for the wedding. But given the more relaxed standards of modern times, other relatives, close friends, or even the couple themselves can plan and pay for the event.

Typically, the parents of the couple are the first to speak at either the rehearsal dinner or the wedding reception. If you're the first toast-maker of the night, this would be the time to welcome all of the guests to the reception or whichever event you are delivering the speech at.

This might seem fairly obvious, but the immediate family of the soon-to-be newlyweds should always be invited to the rehearsal dinner. This means parents, siblings, and grandparents. Your wedding symbolizes not only the joining of you and your soon-to-be spouse in marriage but also your families merging.

What Does the Groom's Family Pay For, Traditionally? The groom's family is responsible for corsages and boutonnieres for immediate members of both families, the lodging of the groom's attendants (if you have offered to help pay for this expense), and sometimes the costs of the rehearsal dinner.

Family. Of course your parents should be in attendance at your rehearsal dinner along with your grandparents and your siblings. You are not obligated to invite your extended family, but most couples do include aunts and uncles; especially ones they are close to.

The first toast is customarily made by the best man. It's fine for this to be the only one offered, though other people will probably want to express their happiness for the newlyweds. After the best man, the maid of honor may offer a toast, too.

What toast does the father of the groom make?

I have so much love and respect for the two of you, for the lengths that you would go to for each other to make each other happy. Never lose what you two have, because it is a priceless thing that you are lucky to be able to enjoy. Let us all raise a glass to the wonderful couple, my son [groom] and his wife, [bride.]

As a guide, here's a list of the expenses traditionally covered by the parents of the groom: the wedding rings, officiant's fee, marriage license, the bride's bouquet, boutonnieres and corsages for the immediate family, music (band/DJ), liquor at the reception and the honeymoon.

She can spend a little time with both the bride and groom.

If that's the case, she may want to start her morning with the bride and her group, then leave once she has her hair and makeup done. After, she can head to the groom's getting-ready area to help him prepare for his walk down the aisle.

Family Possession (Heirloom)

The mother of the groom can give the bride an old family possession that has been passed on from one generation to another. Such a possession can be a grandmother's rosary or a handkerchief knitted by a great-aunt.

If your wedding is a formal one, some mothers of the groom might prefer to wear shades of gold, dark silver, or even black. Other darker colors that might be worn include shades of : Navy.

The groom's parents precede the bride's mother during the processional. Here's a rundown: After the ushers have seated all of the guests, the grandparents start up the aisle, followed by the groom's parents. Then the bride's mother takes her turn. She is the last to be seated before the bridal party procession begins.

A few songs we love for this include: “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts, “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack, “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo'ole, “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong, or “I'll Stand By You” by The Pretenders.

Having bridesmaids and groomsmen bring a plus-one is at your discretion, especially if you're hoping to have a more intimate rehearsal dinner, but spouses and long-term partners are typically recommended.

The rehearsal dinner schedule is traditionally held the night before the wedding, most often on a Friday. Usually, the ceremony rehearsal begins around 5:30 p.m. and typically lasts about 30 to 45 minutes.

What dress styles can you wear to a rehearsal dinner? Cocktail dresses are the obvious pick, but you can also wear something a little more fashion-forward like a jumpsuit, silk suit, or a flowing maxi dress. Skip the sundresses, unless it's a daytime event.

How should the mother of the groom wear her hair?

One of the most popular hairstyles for the mother of the groom is a soft updo with curls and nice pins. If your hair is too short, your hairdresser can help you throw some loose curls in it and add jewels to make it a little fancier for the occasion.

Color: Who Coordinates with Whom? Traditionally, the mother of the bride has been the first to choose her dress. The color of the mother of the groom's dress should complement, but not match it. This is easier than it sounds because no two hues are exactly alike.

Traditionally speaking, the mother of the groom is responsible for planning and hosting the rehearsal dinner with the grooms' father (typically) the night before the wedding. This is one of the biggest mother of the groom responsibilities, so make sure you start planning the dinner about six months in advance.

Other than a toast, the father of the groom is generally expected to walk down the aisle with the mother of the groom, and to host the rehearsal dinner. Other than that, he is generally free to dance and mingle as he pleases!

The groom's toast can come any time after the best man has made his toast. Most likely, though, the parents of the bride and groom will make toasts ahead of the groom. At the rehearsal dinner, the host of the dinner, traditionally the groom's father, makes the first toast.

Toasts can be after all two or three courses of the meal, or after one of the courses. Toasts can be before or after the cutting of the cake, depending when you cut the cake.

While you can serve anything that fits your fancy, traditionally, the groom's cake is served during the rehearsal dinner. Of course, you can serve it alongside the wedding cake on your wedding day, but every good party needs something sweet!

Groom. Traditionally, he walks down the aisle solo but some grooms prefer walking down the aisle escorted by both parents. Other grooms prefer a more subtle approach by entering the ceremony from the side of the venue (following the officiant and followed by the groomsmen) to take his place at the altar.

Is it necessary to invite all out-of-town guests to the rehearsal dinner? We have so many I fear the rehearsal will be nearly as large as the wedding. Out-of-town guests can be invited if your budget and the circumstances allow, but it's by no means a must.

Traditionally, the order of wedding reception toasts goes like this: The best man toasts the bride. The maid/matron of honor toasts the groom. The wedding host/financier (traditionally the father of the bride) toasts the couple.

What color suit should father of the bride wear?

Dads should dress with the same level of formality as the bridal party. If you're having a formal affair, he should wear a black suit, a dark grey suit, or a navy blue suit. If you're having a laid back summer wedding on the beach, he can go casual in pants, sandals, and a button-down shirt.

If you're strictly following wedding etiquette and having a sit-down reception, then the toasts should take place after the meal. (That way, the greatest number of guests will be around — and a fed audience is always better than a hungry one.)

Typically, toasts are proposed as soon as the wine, Champagne, or other beverage is served – usually at the beginning of the meal, or just before dessert. The person proposing the toast stands, or raises a glass and asks for everyone's attention before launching into the toast.

What Does the Groom's Family Pay For, Traditionally? The groom's family is responsible for corsages and boutonnieres for immediate members of both families, the lodging of the groom's attendants (if you have offered to help pay for this expense), and sometimes the costs of the rehearsal dinner.

When it comes to rehearsal dinner invitation etiquette, it's not as strict as wedding invitation etiquette. While everyone coming should receive some kind of invitation, it doesn't have to be a formal invitation. For a rehearsal dinner, an online invitation or phone call is perfectly acceptable.

According to tradition, the mother and father of the groom give a speech during the rehearsal dinner. This is because traditionally the groom's parents hosted the rehearsal dinner while the bride's parents hosting the wedding.

Whoever is hosting the event should speak first and should take the microphone as soon as guests have found their seats. This first toast is most often made by the parents (or father) of the bride and should combine both a toast to the happy couple and a welcome message to the guests.

If you are being toasted, just sit there, and afterward, say thank you. Don't even put your hand on your glass, much less drink. *Do not clink glasses, especially if there are more than four people involved.

Say something like “Cheers!” or “Let's a raise a glass to ___,” and then lead the way by finding someone near you to clink glasses with (if you're in a small gathering) or going ahead and taking a sip from your glass (if you're in a large gathering).

Is it rude to not drink after a toast?

If someone honors you in a toast, it seems right to take a sip of your drink along with everyone else, right? Wrong! “Do not ever drink in your honor when there is a toast for you,” says Parker. Keep the glass (never empty) with you, but don't drink, she says.

The groom might opt to escort his mother down the aisle and to her seat in the front row, followed closely behind by the groom's father. This gives the groom an opportunity to give his parents a hug before taking his place at the altar.

Traditionally speaking, the mother of the groom is responsible for planning and hosting the rehearsal dinner with the grooms' father (typically) the night before the wedding. This is one of the biggest mother of the groom responsibilities, so make sure you start planning the dinner about six months in advance.

While it's quite common for the bride and groom to bring gifts to the rehearsal dinner (which they'll distribute to their parents and their wedding party), it's unusual to see guests arrive with a gift in hand, as well.

Family. Of course your parents should be in attendance at your rehearsal dinner along with your grandparents and your siblings. You are not obligated to invite your extended family, but most couples do include aunts and uncles; especially ones they are close to.

Traditionally, the groom's parents are the hosts of the rehearsal dinner, since the bride's family customarily pays for the wedding. But given the more relaxed standards of modern times, other relatives, close friends, or even the couple themselves can plan and pay for the event.