My Advice on choosing a DC area Rehearsal Dinner Venue
If you are a couple lucky enough to live in or near the DC area while planning a wedding, well you're in luck. DC is filled with several options to make any Rehearsal Dinner memorable, enjoyable, and affordable. Here are a few tips you should know before picking a spot for your rehearsal dinner:
1. Choose a place that is within your planned wedding budget. Do not pick the most expensive restaurant in order to impress your guests. Make sure you find a place that is inexpensive, but does not compromise the quality of the food. Remember, keeping with your budget is important. Do not splurge on a spot for your rehearsal dinner if it is not factored into your budget.
2. Pick a spot that has parking. DC has a lot of people and places. This is a great combination for entertaining, but is horrible when it comes to parking. Guests should not have to deal with the inconvenience of finding (and paying) for parking to attend your rehearsal dinner. Make plans to either carpool, or find a restaurant that has ample parking. There is no need to waste time looking for parking or money paying for it.
3. Food choices. Everyone is unique in your wedding party. Not all guests at your rehearsal dinner will have the same tastes in food. Try choosing a spot that has a variety of food on the menu. Be mindful of special needs that some may have- diabetics, vegetarians, etc.
4. Atmosphere. Decide what type of crowd you have. Do you have a rowdy bunch who loves to shout across the table? Do you have a well-mannered group who never raise their voices? Are your fiance's buddies beer drinkers? Maybe you should choose a bar setting. Do your guests like music while they eat? Maybe choose a spot that has live music. Do you want your guests to be formal or informal? Check-out the dress code of the spot you are thinking of choosing.
5. Location. While DC is a great place to have a rehearsal dinner, why not choose a place on the outskirts of DC? Guests will not have to deal with city traffic and may find it less hectic finding a spot outside of DC. Pick a spot that is closer to most of your guests. No one wants to travel all over to attend a rehearsal dinner. Also, choose a familiar area, maybe close to the actual wedding site. Guest can be close to all the action without tiring themselves out before the big day.
These are a few of my suggestions for choosing a DC area Rehearsal Dinner Venue. Remember to enjoy your company and not get so wrapped-up in the specifics of a rehearsal dinner. Also - if possible, pick Sun. - Thurs. to avoid the higher priced Fri-Sat nights. And street parking is often free after 6 or 6:30 p.m. in DC - a great bonus!) |