2025 Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Trends
By Meghan Ely, OFD Consulting
It’s the year of the rehearsal dinner! No longer just casual gatherings to kick off the weekend, 2025 will see rehearsal dinners stepping into the spotlight as upscale, high-end affairs that set the tone for the big day. Couples are dedicating more time to planning thoughtful and memorable celebrations that showcase their personalities. In other words, rehearsal dinners are anything but an afterthought!
From mocktail menus to glam photo ops, this year’s trends reflect a growing desire to create meaningful experiences for everyone on the guest list. Here are a few you can expect to see in 2025 and beyond.
Photo by: Kevin Heslin Photography
Photo by: WedVibe
Don't get stressed - get Let's Get Rehearsed’s FREE rehearsal dinner guide packed full of everything you need to plan a welcome party, from saving money to celebrating the night before the big day!
Hands-On Dining
Chef action stations and DIY food bars have been on the wedding scene for a while, but now these immersive dining experiences are replacing the traditional pre-set menu.
Craig Peterman, owner of Craig Peterman Photography & Videography, confirms that interactive food options are taking over the culinary scene. Think “DIY sushi bars or build-your-own taco stations,” he says. “These stations encourage guest interaction and a more personalized and fun dining experience.”
(Let’s Get Rehearsed editor’s note: For more on menus for the bar, be sure to check out our collection of printables and download menus just for rehearsal dinners, and check out our interactive pizza-tasting ranking game for a pizza themed rehearsal dinner!)
Other fun, engaging options include carving stations, on-demand oyster shuckers, and chef-manned stations for made-to-order meals like pizzas, omelets, and pasta. Instead of letting your guests sit around waiting for their food, give them dinner and a show!
Photo by: Rebecca Love Photography
Photo by: Rebecca Love Photography
Pre-Wedding Portraits
The wedding day is a whirlwind of activity, so many couples are getting a head start on photos to avoid getting pulled in too many directions on the big day. You’re already celebrating with your closest friends and family, so there’s no better time for pictures!
“One of the benefits is the opportunity to add in twenty minutes of portraits for the couple and time for family photos, leaving more time on the actual wedding day for our couple to be present,” says Anna Solo, owner of Anna Solo Photography.
(Let’s Get Rehearsed editor’s note: For more help with vendors, be sure to get our advice on hiring wedding vendors for your rehearsal dinner, as well as advice from one of our featured couples on their decision to hire wedding vendors for their welcome party!)
Taking portraits off the wedding day agenda (or at least reducing how many you need to take) means you can enjoy cocktail hour with guests and spend more time connecting with your loved ones. Plus, you won’t feel rushed on the big day! Consider turning your rehearsal dinner portraits into a fun photoshoot with custom backdrops and decor.
Photo by: Tracy Autem Photography
Photo by: Rebecca Love Photography
Photo by: Tracy Autem Photography
Photo by: Carhart Photography
Booze-Free Beverages
With many people reducing or eliminating alcohol, it may come as no surprise that 2025 weddings will reflect this growing trend. However, cutting booze from the menu doesn’t mean you have to settle for basic beverages.
“Mocktails and a focus on non-alcohol options for guests are going to be a rehearsal dinner trend in 2025,” confirms Cayla Cummings, owner of Carhart Photography. “The sober-curious movement is gaining strength among millennials and older Gen Z guests, who are asking for more non-alcoholic beverage options outside of water and soda.”
(Let’s Get Rehearsed editor’s note: For more on signs for the bar, be sure to check out our collection of printables and download signs and menus just for rehearsal dinners, and check out some of our favorite welcome signs and bar menus for the night before celebrations!)
Kevin Dennis of Fantasy Sound Event Services adds, “Staying away from anything too boozy is a great way to prep for the next day’s festivities and ensure no one has a hangover. Instead, serving handcrafted coffees or mocktails with electrolyte-infused beverages (in cool glassware, of course), sets you and your guests up for success for the following day.
Don’t worry – signature drinks still have their place sans alcohol, so you can still pick a couple of favorites to offer! Consider offering a virgin mocktail beside its boozy counterpart to appease everyone in attendance. There are also many wonderful non-alcoholic beers, wines, and spirits available for sober sipping!
Photo by: Carhart Photography
Photo by: Tracy Autem Photography
High-End Fashion
Roll out the red carpet! As we welcome an elevated approach to rehearsal dinner planning, you can bet that fashion is following suit. More couples (and their guests) are dressing in outfits that rival even their day-of attire, with couture and off-the-runway designs turning the once-casual event into a luxurious affair.
“Every year, fashion becomes more of a focal point for wedding guests, so creating a dress attire that asks people to wear their highest fashion makes perfect sense going into 2025,” assures Colton Simmons, owner of Colton Simmons Photography. “Maybe you have a handbag that you’ve been waiting to bring out or a suit jacket that screams your personality but never seems appropriate; this is your chance to make a statement.”
(Let’s Get Rehearsed editor’s note: If you’re wondering what to wear, be sure to check out our top picks for what to wear to a rehearsal dinner as a guest, and rehearsal dinner dress code ideas.)
Plus, this trend aligns perfectly with taking rehearsal dinner portraits. With everyone dressed to the nines, it makes sense to have a professional photographer at the ready!
Photo by: Jenny DeMarco Photography
Photo by: Tracy Autem Photography
Photo by: Rebecca Love Photography
Over-The-Top Experiences
All of these trends speak to a greater shift in guest experience as couples seek to break the mold and host a refined, memorable pre-nuptial event. Gone are the days of throwing together a rehearsal dinner at the only available restaurant in town — today’s celebrations are marked by their thoughtful details and unique experiences.
Carol Guedes, founder of planning firm Flying Little Birds, affirms that couples are “focused on offering their close friends and family amazing immersive experiences.” For example, “offering multi-course meals with wine pairings, creating an alternative themed décor, and designing eclectic seating arrangements for more intimate interactions with couples are becoming popular ways to foster guest experience at rehearsal dinners.”
(Let’s Get Rehearsed editor’s note: For more on amazing experiences, be sure to check out our advice on how to make your rehearsal different from your wedding, as well as our top picks for affordable games for rehearsal dinner to help break the ice.)
For coastal celebrations, Simmons adds that sunset sails are becoming a popular way to host a rehearsal dinner on the sea. “Having all of your guests onboard a sailboat to enjoy the summer evenings in your venue locale is a great way to take the inhibition off and relax in preparation for the big day,” he explains.
Some other out-of-the-box rehearsal dinner ideas include hosting an evening at the dinner theater, a game night with friendly competition, or a food truck “festival” featuring your favorite cuisines. There are no rules!
These trends are redefining rehearsal dinners in 2025, proving that the celebration doesn’t have to wait until the wedding day. As you plan your event, consider how you can take it up a notch and wow your loved ones with a magical evening!
Photo by: Carhart Photography
Photo by: Kevin Heslin Photography
Photo by: Tracy Autem Photography
Photo by: Carhart Photography
Photo by: Jenny DeMarco Photography
Don't get stressed - get Let's Get Rehearsed’s FREE rehearsal dinner guide packed full of everything you need to plan a welcome party, from saving money to celebrating the night before the big day!
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About Let’s Get Rehearsed!
Welcome to stress-free and easy wedding rehearsal dinner planning and ideas! Let’s Get Rehearsed is the best, most helpful planning and inspiration resource for all things wedding rehearsal dinners, wedding welcome parties, and the night before the wedding celebrations. If you’re in rehearsal dinner planning mode or looking for unique ideas, check out our real rehearsal dinner and welcome party photos, rehearsal dinner ideas and inspiration, advice for planning a wedding rehearsal dinner, and a rehearsal dinner printable and download shop.
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Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding PR and wedding marketing firm OFD Consulting. Ely is a sought-after speaker, adjunct professor in the field of public relations, and a self-professed royal wedding enthusiast.