The rehearsal dinner is the first real celebration of your wedding weekend — an intimate evening the night before the ceremony for the people closest to you. In the US it follows the ceremony rehearsal; in the UK and across Europe it goes by another name: the welcome dinner, held the evening before for guests who have traveled.
Either way, the event needs its own invitation. Rehearsal dinner digital invitations are the most practical way to handle it — a link is faster to send, easier to update, and lets guests RSVP for the dinner specifically.
This guide covers who to invite, when to send, wording templates, and the etiquette of combining your rehearsal dinner with your main wedding invite link. For a broader look at multi-event structures, see our multi-event wedding invitation guide. For general digital invitation strategy, start with the complete guide to digital wedding invitations.
Who gets invited to the rehearsal dinner
The guest list is smaller than the wedding — and getting it right matters.
Traditional US etiquette:
- Wedding party (bridesmaids, groomsmen, officiant)
- Parents and siblings of both sides
- Partners/spouses of wedding party members
- Grandparents
Extended list (increasingly common): out-of-town guests, close friends not in the wedding party, children of family members.
European welcome dinner: The guest list is often broader — all out-of-town guests and sometimes the full wedding list at a casual venue the evening before. Most European weddings do not have a formal rehearsal, so this event replaces it.
Your invitation should make it clear that this is a separate, smaller event — not an extension of the wedding.
Timing: when to send rehearsal dinner invitations
Rehearsal dinner invitations go out after the main wedding invitation — never before it.
| Timeline | Action |
|---|---|
| 8–12 weeks before | Send main wedding invitation |
| 4–6 weeks before | Send rehearsal dinner invitation |
| 2 weeks before | Follow up with non-responders |
| 1 week before | Reminder with venue details and parking |
Digital advantage: With a link-based invitation, the reminder is built in. If the venue changes, update the link once and every guest sees the new details — no re-sending required.
For European welcome dinners, some couples include the event as part of their main wedding invitation. A digital invitation makes this effortless — the welcome dinner appears in the timeline, visible only to invited guests.
Wording templates for rehearsal dinner invitations
The tone of your rehearsal dinner invite wording depends on the formality of the event. A seated dinner at a restaurant calls for different language than a backyard barbecue hosted by the groom's parents.
Formal (hosted by parents)
Mr. and Mrs. David Chen request the pleasure of your company at the rehearsal dinner honoring Sarah Chen & James Mitchell Friday, October 10, 2026 7:00 PM Osteria Langhe, 214 Main Street Cocktail attire Kindly RSVP by September 26
Semi-formal (hosted by the couple)
Join us for dinner the night before we say "I do" Sarah & James invite you to the rehearsal dinner Friday, October 10 · 6:30 PM The Boathouse, Lake Terrace Smart casual · Dinner and drinks provided RSVP below
Casual (barbecue, welcome party)
Let's kick off the wedding weekend! Come celebrate with Sarah & James Friday evening · 5:00 PM The Mitchell Family Backyard 42 Elm Street, Greenville Casual dress · BBQ, beer & good company RSVP so we know how many burgers to grill
European welcome dinner
Welcome to Florence! Emma & Luca invite you to a welcome dinner the evening before the wedding Thursday, September 18 · 7:30 PM Trattoria dell'Orto, Piazza Santo Spirito Come as you are — this is the relaxed one RSVP to confirm your spot
Separate invite vs combined wedding link
Should the rehearsal dinner be a separate send or part of your main wedding link?
Separate invitation works when you want to keep the events clearly distinct or you are sending paper invitations for the wedding. Traditional etiquette favors this approach.
Combined (one link, guest-group visibility) works when you are using a multi-event digital invitation. The rehearsal dinner appears in the timeline only for invited guests — wedding party members and family see it, everyone else sees the ceremony and reception only. One link, personalized per guest. No risk of forwarding the dinner invite to someone not on the list.
If you are using paper for the wedding and digital for the rehearsal dinner, the two approaches work fine together.
Digital RSVP for the rehearsal dinner
A "yes" in a group chat tells you almost nothing. A proper digital rehearsal dinner RSVP collects what you need to plan the evening:
- Attending: Yes / No
- Number of guests (if plus-ones are invited)
- Dietary restrictions or allergies
- Transportation needs (shuttle from hotel, parking)
Why per-event RSVP matters: Many guests attend the wedding but not the rehearsal dinner. If your RSVP only covers the wedding as a whole, you will not know who is coming Friday night until you start texting people individually. Per-event RSVP solves this — your dashboard shows headcounts per event in real time.
For a deeper look at RSVP tracking, see our wedding RSVP tracking guide.
US rehearsal dinner vs European welcome dinner
The night-before celebration exists in both cultures, but expectations differ.
| Aspect | US rehearsal dinner | European welcome dinner |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Follows ceremony rehearsal | Welcomes traveled guests |
| Guest list | Wedding party + close family (20–40) | Out-of-town guests, sometimes full list (40–100+) |
| Who hosts | Traditionally groom's parents | Usually the couple |
| Timing | After rehearsal, 6–8 PM | Evening before, 7:30–9 PM |
| Dress code | Cocktail or smart casual | Come as you are |
| Digital invite | Increasingly common | Very common — guests expect a link for pre-events |
Both events benefit from digital invitations because the logistics are time-sensitive and the guest list is a subset of the larger wedding.
Etiquette tips
- Never invite someone to the rehearsal dinner who is not invited to the wedding. The rehearsal dinner is a subset event.
- Be clear about who is included. If children are welcome, say so. If the invitation is for the guest and their partner only, state it.
- Match tone to formality. A backyard barbecue does not need "request the pleasure of your company." A fine-dining dinner should not read like a text message.
- Include logistics. Parking, shuttle info, dress code, and an end time help guests plan — especially out-of-town guests navigating an unfamiliar area.
- Thank the hosts. If the groom's parents are hosting, acknowledge them in the wording.
Ready to set up yours? Explore the live demo to see a multi-event invite with per-event RSVPs, venue maps, and guest-group visibility.
Related guides
- Wedding weekend itinerary invitation — full US/EU multi-day timeline in one link
- Multi-event wedding invitation guide — guest-group visibility and maps per venue
- Wedding RSVP tracking — per-event headcounts and reminders
Frequently asked questions
Is it appropriate to send rehearsal dinner invitations digitally?
Yes. The rehearsal dinner is typically semi-formal or casual with a smaller guest list — digital is widely accepted. Match the invitation tone to the dinner formality, and guests benefit from easy RSVP, directions, and details they can check closer to the date.
Should the rehearsal dinner invitation be separate from the wedding invitation?
It depends. A multi-event digital invitation can include the rehearsal dinner as a timeline event visible only to invited guests — no separate send needed. If your wedding invitation is paper-based, a separate digital link for the dinner works well. Either approach is fine.
How far in advance should I send rehearsal dinner invitations?
Four to six weeks before the wedding, after the main invitations have gone out. With a digital invitation, follow up one week before without re-sending — guests reopen the same link to see any updates.
What should I include on a digital rehearsal dinner RSVP?
Attendance confirmation, number of guests, dietary restrictions, and transportation needs (shuttles, parking). Per-event RSVP gives you a headcount specifically for the dinner rather than a blanket "yes" to the whole weekend.
Do I need to invite all out-of-town guests to the rehearsal dinner?
In the US, traditional etiquette limits the list to the wedding party and close family — out-of-town guests are welcome but not required. In European welcome dinner culture, travelers are generally included. Factor in budget, venue capacity, and how many guests are coming from out of town.
Can I combine the rehearsal dinner and welcome party into one event?
Yes. Many couples merge them into a single night-before event — the rehearsal happens in the afternoon, and the evening becomes a welcome dinner for everyone who has arrived. List it as one event in your digital invitation with the appropriate guest visibility.