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Awkward rehearsal time

justsiejustsie member
First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
in Pre-wedding Parties
My wedding venue only has 2 time options for the rehearsal the day before, 3 and 3:30 pm. I was hoping that the time would easily flow for a lunch or dinner hour but I'm squarely in the middle. FMIL has wanted to book a restaurant to host everyone at, it is a chicago style pizza place (FI request) so very hearty, and now I'm not sure how this will all work. Any suggestions on what we could do? Wedding venue is only a 20 minute drive from the restaurant so even if we choose the later time that still puts us there at just after 4pm, would this be too early still?
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Re: Awkward rehearsal time

  • DrillSergeantCatDrillSergeantCat member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    Do it another day. My venue actually suggested the THursday before so I'd have time to make changes if need be. 
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  • justsiejustsie member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    DrillSergeantCat said:
    Do it another day. My venue actually suggested the THursday before so I'd have time to make changes if need be. 
    I wish I could but this venue is one that solely does weddings so everyone gets assigned a rehearsal day and time, ours has to be on Friday either at 3 or 3:30.
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  • DrillSergeantCatDrillSergeantCat member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    Huh. That sucks. Do you absolutely have to have a rehearsal?
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    First Answer 5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper
    Can you have a pretend rehearsal at a park or something close to the resturant? Basically it would allow people to at least discuss the order and have some sort of visualization of how things will go. 
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  • Jen4948Jen4948 member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    Does the venue require you to rehearse there? If so, I'd tell them that that particular time doesn't work for you. If not, I'd either forgo the rehearsal altogether or do it at a different location that does work for you time-wise.
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  • dyerwisedyerwise member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
    My venue has a similar deal with rehearsal times. Mine will be 2pm the day before.

    We have let our wedding party members know what time it is at, but we aren't really expecting anyone to show up. We know its the middle of a Friday and people have work. My mom and FMIL and two wedding party members have said they are planning on coming with us.

    We plan on having dinner at a restaurant that night and just telling everyone the important details.

    I wouldn't advise skipping the rehearsal at the venue though, even if it will only be you and FI. We mentioned we were thinking about doing this to our venue Sales Manager and she said that its important for us to attend in case there need to be any last minute changes or anything that she wouldn't want to bother us with on the actual wedding day

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  • ei34ei34 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    During three of my BM experiences, the WP rehearsed at the restaurant we ate at.  All three were straight-forward weddings, it was just a review of who we'd walk alongside, and the order in which we went down the aisle.  The longest one took 10 minutes.  Could you guys just rehearse at the pizza place? (Which sounds delish!)
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  • peachy13peachy13 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    We also had a kind of early rehearsal ceremony (4pm) but had the dinner afterwards and it was fine. People arrived to the dinner around 4:45 or so and the bar was open, so people were happy drinking and mingling for a little bit, and then everyone sat for dinner around 5:30, and we were done eating around 6:30. There was time after dinner for more drinking/mingling, and we gave our wedding party presents and whatnot. It was nice because the next day is obviously a long day, so I have to admit it was great going to bed at a reasonable time.
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  • banana468banana468 member
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    I think you can feel out your BP.   I'd make it 3:30 and then that brings you to 4:30 when you're done?  So you arrive at 5 ish for pizza and have an early bird dinner?

    What are the other logistical issues?   5 is early but not awful.   Or would it just be easier to rehearse somewhere else? 
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  • justsiejustsie member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    Thank you everyone for the suggestions, the venue requires us to rehearse there and the officiant has stated several times that he would like to do a rehearsal as well, so not doing one/not doing it at the venue isn't an option for us (of course, none of them are requiring anyone else but FI and me to show up). 

    I think what will probably work best is to nab that 3:30 spot which would put us done at 4 and at the restaurant by 4:30ish, we will invite grandparents to the dinner so I think with people arriving who didn't go to rehearsal it would put us eating at around 5:30/6pm (the bar would be opening and running in the meantime). This may also allow some people who couldn't go due to work time to stop by after they get off. I was told by FMIL that the way the this place works is you order a bunch of pizzas and everyone grabs slices as opposed to ordering their own personal pizza, so people coming and going would be less stress on the waiter. 

    Does this all sounds reasonable still?
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  • banana468banana468 member
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    If you can have appetizers arranged for a time before the pizza I think that can work. 
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  • justsiejustsie member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    banana468 said:
    If you can have appetizers arranged for a time before the pizza I think that can work. 
    I'm embarrassed that I didn't even think about that....... thank you!
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
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    On the plus side you'll have the evening over early & can get home and relax some and get a good night sleep, as can everyone else. 


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  • SP29SP29 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    I think it would be fine to go with a 3:30pm rehearsal time. By the time you get get through and then travel to the restaurant, you're probably look at around 4:30. Then there is ordering of drinks and food, so I am sure it would be at least 5pm by the time you actually eat. I don't think that is weird for dinner.

    Bit earlier than *I* eat dinner, but I can eat pizza at anytime ;). (My grandparents on the other hand would much prefer this as they eat at 4:30pm!).
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  • justsiejustsie member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    SP29 said:
    I think it would be fine to go with a 3:30pm rehearsal time. By the time you get get through and then travel to the restaurant, you're probably look at around 4:30. Then there is ordering of drinks and food, so I am sure it would be at least 5pm by the time you actually eat. I don't think that is weird for dinner.

    Bit earlier than *I* eat dinner, but I can eat pizza at anytime ;). (My grandparents on the other hand would much prefer this as they eat at 4:30pm!).
    Hooooly cow that is early. Granted, I work evenings so I am usually eating dinner around 10pm, probably also adding to the concern on the early dinner. 
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  • charlotte989875charlotte989875 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    If the rehearsal is at 3:30, unless you have the shortest ceremony ever, the earliest you'd get to the restaurant is 4:30 or 5. And honestly every rehearsal I've been in has taken WAY longer than the ceremony. 

    Having arranged apps and drinks then pizza sounds great. 
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  • geebee908geebee908 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    I think they can count on being out by 4 if the venue is scheduling in half-hour intervals. The next group will likely be ready to start then.
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  • AddieCakeAddieCake member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    Rehearsal at 3:30 and pizza at like 4:30? I'd be down for that. I don't see the big problem here.
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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  • madamerwinmadamerwin member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited August 2016
    I don't see the problem with a 3:30 rehearsal. I doubt you would actually get to the restaurant before 4:30. Our venue allowed for one hour for rehearsal, and it took the whole time (people were late, we went through it twice, people lingered talking after, etc.). By the time everyone arrives and settles in at the restaurant, it'll probably be close to 5. Even if everyone is on time and you get through it in 30 minutes, there's still a good chance people will linger for at least a few minutes. And a heavy meal at 4:30-5pm would be totally fine with me (or as PPs have suggested, have appetizers and drinks served before dinner).

    ETA: Sorry, I just realized this post is a few weeks old...
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