What are you doing for...?

NinaTony

the rehearsal dinner?  

We have a couple of options, I'm not sure which is best.  We can either have it at my parents house, or at a restaurant.

If we have it at my parents house we will cater in.  We will have more space, and unlimited time.  Problem is, it is 30 min away from where guest are staying (most of our guest are out of towners).  We will also need someone to stay at the house to get it ready, while we are all at the wedding rehearsal.  And, it may be late night for my parents and bridal party (FI and I included) for clean up after the dinner.  

If we have it at a restaurant, it will be closer to where guest are staying.  We won't have to prepare anything, or clean up.  However, it will be more expensive.  

Also, we are extending the invitation to out of town guest to arrive the night before the wedding.  

So what do you think is best?

Thanks ladies! I always love your input.

harpsdesire

I would try to find a resurant that isn't too expensive, the last thing you will want to be doing at 11pm the night before your wedding is dishes!

Eryn&Kashif

I would say pay the convienience that will save you time, clean up, worry and having to guess what everyone may want. You don't want to have to clean up and then travel 30 minutes out of the way, I'm sure you're parents don't need the extra hassle and who would be the LUCKY person that would have to stay home to get things ready??? I wouldn't want to, lol... Table for 20 please

frig05

I am in the same situation that you are in. I have a lot of family coming in from out of town. We are actually going to have our rehearsal dinner at the hotel where everyone will be staying. We are either going to bbq outside (they have a great grill and outside area) or we are going to rent a conference room and cater-in. We had to think about the number of people coming and who would and wouldn't be getting rental cars. Most won't. This may be something to think about with your guests as well.

Kate61487

We had our RD at my parents house, and it was great.  We had over 40 guests (large BP, plus immediate family).  The deciding factor for me was that I wanted to have a slip-n-slide for H as a surprise (sort of an inside joke) and you really can't do that at a restaurant.

We had fried chicken and pulled pork that we ordered from the grocery store and local bbq place respectively, as well as potato salad, coleslaw, etc.  Everything was purchased except dessert, which was cupcakes my mom made.  H and my dad picked up most of the food while mom and I were doing last minute errands (like picking up my dress). We kept the chicken and pork in the oven on a low temp to keep it warm.  We also borrowed H's cousin's slushie machine and had punch slushies for the kids and vodka lemonade for the adults in addition to soda and beer, which we set up early in the day.  During the rehearsel itself my parents' closest neighbors (who were invited to the wedding) came over and finished up the set-up.  Mostly it was dumping the salads into bowls, and just BEING there in case some of the BP made it back to the house before my parents did. 

We used all paper plates / plastic forks etc.  so the cleanup was very minimal.  Honestly at the end of the night we tossed the serving bowls and silverware into the dishwasher and put away the left overs and it was basically done.  (we did have to mop the foyer, since the slip-n-slide did result in grass a water coming into the house, but most wouldn't have that issue, haha).  People didn't stay too terribly late, because they all recognized the fact that we had an early morning to get to.  I'd do it again :-)