New Jersey

Rehearsal dinner plans have fallen apart... in need of new wording

Long story short, FI and are paying for our wedding entirely on our own, but my parents offered awhile back to pay for the rehearsal dinner.  Unfortunately, my relationship with my parents has been deteriorating over the past year or two and as the wedding has gotten closer things have only gotten worse (it's been emotionally draining, but I'm beginning to come to terms with it).  Needless to say, FI and I don't want to feel like we owe my parents anything (not that they'd ask us to pay them back, but you know what I mean), so we've decided to scrap the original rehearsal dinner plans and tell my parents that we've got the RD covered.

Originally our RD was going to be at Bahama Breeze, but FI and I are scaling back now that we're paying for it so we've decided to just do a backyard BBQ.  That being said, I've found plenty of RD invitation wording for situations that involve someone other than the couple hosting, but I can't seem to find anything for when the couple is hosting the dinner. 

My brain is fried, so does anyone have suggestions for complete invitation wording that includes information about the rehearsal as well as the rehearsal dinner, and that can be used when the couple is hosting?

ETA: I posted my question on the Invites and Paper board and someone suggested that I just buy those generic fill-in-the-blank cards from any random card shop.  Honestly, those fill-in-the-blank cards make me cringe because they remind me of a kid's birthday party, regardless of how elegant the scrollwork on them may be.  Plus, I have a deal through Living Social for VistaPrint, so it'd be cheaper to make the invitations via the site than to buy them in a card shop.

TIA for your help!
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Re: Rehearsal dinner plans have fallen apart... in need of new wording

  • sgdc2011sgdc2011 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    How about somethign to the effect of... Help us celebrate as we prepare for the big day?

    Is it a big enough party that you feel it necessary to do invites? If it's just bridal party what about word of mouth?
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_rehearsal-dinner-plans-fallen-apart-need-of-new-wording?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:4bbe4ffb-a09b-4c06-8cd8-208e34ef9084Post:22521873-8da0-49f9-a4b5-75593119ecd8">Re: Rehearsal dinner plans have fallen apart... in need of new wording</a>:
    [QUOTE]How about somethign to the effect of... Help us celebrate as we prepare for the big day? Is it a big enough party that you feel it necessary to do invites? If it's just bridal party what about word of mouth?
    Posted by sgdc2011[/QUOTE]
    I would actually love to just do word of mouth, but I'd prefer that everyone have some type of tangible reminder of the date and time as many of them have a tendency to forget things when they're not written down.
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  • goaliegirlgoaliegirl member
    First Comment Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    I agree with the wording that the pp said...celebrate with us as we get ready for the big day, or something like that.

    To be quite honest, I didn't do formal invitations for the rehearsal dinner...costs for a wedding get out of control because of stuff like this.   We just sent an email to everyone in the wedding party with the rehearsal and dinner details.  We saw everyone in our BP and others that would be invited all the time so we didn't feel it was necessary to get invites printed. But that is just my opinion.
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_rehearsal-dinner-plans-fallen-apart-need-of-new-wording?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:4bbe4ffb-a09b-4c06-8cd8-208e34ef9084Post:138ba2e7-80b4-4778-a94d-7a3ebf2a1b61">Re: Rehearsal dinner plans have fallen apart... in need of new wording</a>:
    [QUOTE]I agree with the wording that the pp said...celebrate with us as we get ready for the big day, or something like that. To be quite honest, I didn't do formal invitations for the rehearsal dinner...costs for a wedding get out of control because of stuff like this.   We just sent an email to everyone in the wedding party with the rehearsal and dinner details.  We saw everyone in our BP and others that would be invited all the time so we didn't feel it was necessary to get invites printed. But that is just my opinion.
    Posted by goaliegirl[/QUOTE]
    I totally hear you on that - honestly.  If I didn't have the Living Social deal (and if VistaPrint didn't have their constant free invitation offers) I wouldn't be getting them from VistaPrint.  And if the people involved in our wedding were a bit more considerate and/or responsible I wouldn't be fearful of the fact that an email would be completely ignored or a verbal invite would be forgotten.  Sadly, we've already had issues with members of our wedding party after having utilized both forms of non-paper invitations and communication for other wedding-related events, so it's pretty much our only option at this point.
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  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_rehearsal-dinner-plans-fallen-apart-need-of-new-wording?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:4bbe4ffb-a09b-4c06-8cd8-208e34ef9084Post:dbbc6107-249f-42df-9708-fd9bb2790401">Re: Rehearsal dinner plans have fallen apart... in need of new wording</a>:
    [QUOTE]The wording on this one is pretty informal: <a href="http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/8614/signature_white_rehearsal_dinner_invitations_bold_words.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/product/8614/signature_white_rehearsal_dinner_invitations_bold_words.html</a>
    Posted by diamondx423[/QUOTE]
    Ohh!  I love it!  Thank you so much!
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  • cindyn9178cindyn9178 member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I don't know if you'd go for the rhyme type, but I thought this was kind of cute, and covers all the info:

    Tyler popped the question, and April said "Yes"
    All the planning is over from the hall to the dress
    Only one thing remains for this day to be great
    "Practice makes Perfect"
    September 25th is the date
    We'll practice the ceremony,
    and iron out the kinks
    Then it's off to the Peachtree Cafe
    for some dinner and drinks!

    Please join the bride and groom-to-be
    at 7 o'clock, St. Mary's Church
     (you could add "followed by dinner at 8pm at xyz")

    OR, for the more traditional format, you could do something like this:

    We invite you to a
    Wedding Rehearsal and Dinner
    on the eve of our marriage
    Friday, June 10, 2002
    at 6:00 p.m.
    Rehearsal at 6:30 p.m.
    The Cornerstone Church, Madrona
    Dinner at 7:30 p.m.
    The Vineyard Inn
    3468 Rosalyn Drive

    Hosted by
    Ryan and Melanie


  • edited December 2011
    Thanks, Cindy!
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  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_rehearsal-dinner-plans-fallen-apart-need-of-new-wording?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:4bbe4ffb-a09b-4c06-8cd8-208e34ef9084Post:884ec58f-b710-41a7-a7be-b6f58128af56">Re: Rehearsal dinner plans have fallen apart... in need of new wording</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Rehearsal dinner plans have fallen apart... in need of new wording : Ohh!  I love it!  Thank you so much!
    Posted by peaches178[/QUOTE]

    you're welcome!
    Photobucket

    Follow Me on Pinterest
  • cindyn9178cindyn9178 member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Let us know how they turn out!
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_rehearsal-dinner-plans-fallen-apart-need-of-new-wording?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:4bbe4ffb-a09b-4c06-8cd8-208e34ef9084Post:961f4a62-ca02-42ac-bb1e-cbd47d1b9eee">Re: Rehearsal dinner plans have fallen apart... in need of new wording</a>:
    [QUOTE]I don't know if you'd go for the rhyme type, but I thought this was kind of cute, and covers all the info: Tyler popped the question, and April said "Yes" All the planning is over from the hall to the dress Only one thing remains for this day to be great "Practice makes Perfect" September 25th is the date We'll practice the ceremony, and iron out the kinks Then it's off to the Peachtree Cafe for some dinner and drinks! Please join the bride and groom-to-be at 7 o'clock, St. Mary's Church  (you could add "followed by dinner at 8pm at xyz") OR, for the more traditional format, you could do something like this: We invite you to a Wedding Rehearsal and Dinner on the eve of our marriage Friday, June 10, 2002 at 6:00 p.m. Rehearsal at 6:30 p.m. The Cornerstone Church, Madrona Dinner at 7:30 p.m. The Vineyard Inn 3468 Rosalyn Drive Hosted by Ryan and Melanie
    Posted by cindyn9178[/QUOTE]
    That is what my friend used and I loved it!! I think it is so cute and creative.
  • edited December 2011
    Mine says:


    You are invited to a Rehearsal Dinner!

    Bride's name
    and
    Groom's name
    invite you to celebrate before they walk down the aisle

    Friday, August 19th
    7:00pm-11:00pm

    Name of the place
    Address of the place

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  • edited December 2011
    Thanks for all of the suggestions, ladies!  I really appreciate it!  :-)
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