Rehearsal Dinner...At a Casino???

sam5202

Hi ladies,

I've been lurking on this board for a few months now.  My fiance and I are planning our wedding for memorial day weekend.  I have a little dilemma and wanted to get the opinion of some other Catholic brides.

My fiance's father has graciously offered to pay for the rehearsal dinner, but he wants to host it in a banquet hall at a racetrack/casino.  I have seen the banquet hall, it is very pretty and it overlooks to horse races.  For any other event (reunion, birthday, anniversary) I would say it was a fun, unique place to have a party, but I'm a little uncomfortable having my rehearsal dinner there. 

 I'm just not sure a casino is the right venue for the night before the ceremony.  It seems, I don't know, sinful?

My mother thinks that I should just roll with it because my fiance's father is being gracious enough to host the event.  My fiance doesn't really have a strong opinion.  He sees my point, but doesn't want to seem ungrateful and, doesn't see it as a major issue. ("It's only a dinner, we're not getting married in a casino...").

So, the question is, are my misgivings warranted?  Do you think other guests will feel uneasy about it?  Should I let it go and be thankful for his father's generosity? 

professorscience

Is your problem that it is a place for gambling?  I can't imagine that it would be a problem, unless your guests were invited to bet on a race or something.  Then I think it would be pretty tasteless.

I kind of side with your FI -- if it's only dinner, I'd think it would actually be a neat place.

catarntina

It's not a sin to gamble.  Not to Catholics anyway.

I say go with it.  Could be fun.  People don't have to bet if they don't want to.  And they could watch the horses or something.  I think it'd be fun.

Calypso1977

horse racing and gambling are not sins, at least for catholics. 

and even if you did think it a sin or "wrong" somehow, then i'm not sure i see the logic in thinking that other parties would be ok to have there but not your RD.  if one thought it was a sin, it woudl be a sin no matter what you are celebrating.

i think it will be a great event and an off-beat venue that folks will probably talk about for years to come!  i say go for it.

OliveOilsMom

We had my junior prom, at my Catholic high school, at the local racetrack.  The room was gorgeous and overlooked the race track.  I don't think you should be worried about the rehearsal dinner being at a casino/race track.  Be thankful and gracious to your FFIL for offering to pay. 

The only way I would decline or ask for a different venue would be if you knew that someone attending the rehearsal was a gambling addict or recovering gambling addict.

lmeade62

Is the hall in the casino itself?