Rehearsal - WWYD

MrsBassPlaya

We couldn't find out what day we could do rehearsal until now because the place we're getting married books weddings all weekend.  Our wedding is Saturday, and they have a wedding on Friday, so today I found out that we can't do a rehearsal there on Friday.

Now I'm trying to figure out when to do the rehearsal if at all.  We can do Thursday or Saturday right before the wedding.  Thursday just seems so inconvenient, especially since we have a lot of OOT wedding party, and we have SO much going on Saturday that I feel like it would be extra stressful.

Also, I'm a Segway tour guide, and my boss told me I can take my family/wedding party out on a tour before the wedding for just the cost of the employees working the tour.  (Not a bad deal, and something fun for us all to do together.)  I was thinking about doing that Friday afternoon.  My latest thought is to do the tour with wedding party, etc.; then have everyone head to our place for an informal rehearsal BBQ where we run through just in our yard and answer questions, pass out gifts, etc.  FI and I forgot to budget for the rehearsal dinner (duh!) and we need to make it cheap.  Then on Saturday we can take 15-30 minutes to do a super quick run through at the venue after FI and I have our first look so everyone knows where to stand and where they'll be walking, etc.  We can't do it before the first look because we can't get into the venue until noon, and we'll already have to be ready by then for pictures, etc.

What do you ladies think about that plan?  Does it seem like it would work?  The ceremony isn't till 4:30, so there should be 15 minutes we can find for that, right?

volleygurl0306

I think this would work.  We can't afford to swing a rehearsal dinner with everything else (our large WP plus significant others ends up being over 30 people for just WP and immediate family) so we are skipping a rehearsal.  But, we are having a half hour walk-through Saturday morning.  FI will be excluded from him since I'll be running it and we aren't seeing each other before.  But, one of his GM will fill him in.  In the venue I feel like you just need to know who is giving you your cue to go and where to stand.  All other information I am giving them in written form Friday.  I also have really detailed schedules I made up with events and times on the front and contact information (me, FI, MOG, MOB, MOH, BMen, Coordinator, Venue Manager, etc) and where everything is located on the back.  I think an informal rehearsal and a quick walk-thru the morning of would be more than enough.

calindi

We're not able to rehearse at our venue, so we're trying to figure out where to rehearse.  I'm not overly concerned - we can do it at the restaurant where we're having dinner!

mck776

personally, i think it's important to have a rehearsal. Your venue, even though they are having another wedding, it won't probably start until later say 4 or so?  So why can't you ask to have the rehearsal early. My venue is having a wedding also the day we wanted to rehearse, they said we had to be out by 2 so they could start setting up. So we are having the rehearsal at noon.  Can;t you ask to have it early?

caitsboray

I am able to do my rehersal on friday but am CHOOSING to do it thursday.. i think its alot better and it allows you friday to tie up any loose ends!

volleygurl0306

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_september-2012-weddings_rehearsal-wwyd?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:a464c18c-2e4d-469b-8eae-3865079cb9cfDiscussion:6fe4134f-c04e-4ff2-968b-38a5e657920fPost:07673422-85f2-4274-9145-a588d778cb19">Re: Rehearsal - WWYD</a>:
[QUOTE]personally, i think it's important to have a rehearsal. Your venue, even though they are having another wedding, it won't probably start until later say 4 or so?  So why can't you ask to have the rehearsal early. My venue is having a wedding also the day we wanted to rehearse, they said we had to be out by 2 so they could start setting up. So we are having the rehearsal at noon.  Can;t you ask to have it early?
Posted by mck776[/QUOTE]

A rehearsal is ideal but I get the OOT WP that OP is dealing with.  My FMIL was pushing for one after we decided we weren't having one.  Well my BM who is in law school was the first to book her flight and she can't be in until 7pm on Fri anyways.  The rest of the WP hasn't even booked flights yet and will probably be in later (they have kids, work and school to work around).  I personally don't think ceremonies are that complicated.  OP, don't let it stress you.  Especially if you are willing to laugh off any slip ups (which you seem to have a pretty good sense of humor). 

FI was in a wedding last month where the MOG is a coordinator so she was a total b*tch at the rehearsal over unimportant (IMO) details.  Everyone walked away annoyed and no less comfortable with what they had to do.  She expected them to look like they were in a fairy tale movie.  A wedding I was in 2 weeks ago (in St Paul actually, OP!!!) had a smooth sailing rehearsal.  But no rehearsal prepares for everything...considering the bride passed out twice during the actual ceremony!  My point is just that rehearsals are nice but the ceremony is going to go how it is going to go and you have to roll with it because no wedding is perfect.

I think the informal rehearsal to tell the GM how to hold their arms, the BM to hold their flowers low, pair them off and answer questions is sufficient.  Just show them where to stand the day of and you'll be fine!

MrsBassPlaya

Thanks for the opinions ladies! I think we're gonna go with the informal run through and BBQ, then have a run through to show everyone where to stand the day of. Every bridesmaid is already married, so if they can't figure it out, that's pretty sad. I found out that we can only be there for 1 hour on Thursday, right at the end of the work day anyway. That just doesn't seem practical. This seems like the least stressful, easiest solution to the situation. And if things go wrong, the wedding is that much more memorable. My flower girl and ring bearer are both 3 years old. If I can be certain of one thing it's that something will definitely go wrong. :