A rehearsal dinner invitation needs six things: who is hosting, the couple's names, the rehearsal time and place (for people expected there), the dinner time and place, the dress code and an RSVP-by date. Send it three to four weeks ahead for a local wedding and four to six weeks ahead for a destination weekend.
Rehearsal dinner invitations close the gap between wedding rehearsal and the celebration that follows—often the first seated evening of the weekend where families and the wedding party share a real meal. Guests need rehearsal timing, dinner timing, dress, and RSVP details without hunting through a long itinerary, and hosts need accurate counts for private rooms and plated service.
Below: wording examples by who is hosting and by style, short text versions, attire lines, a timing table and who usually gets invited. For daytime weekend meals, see wedding brunch invitations. For general evening hosting patterns, see dinner party invitation planning guide.
What to Include
- Couple’s names
- Host name(s) (parents, couple, or other hosts)
- “Rehearsal dinner” label
- Rehearsal location and time (if invitees are expected at rehearsal)
- Dinner location and time
- Dress code
- RSVP deadline and method
- Travel, parking, or shuttle notes
- Plus-ones only when they apply
- Who to contact with dietary needs, when the menu is set
If some guests are invited to dinner but not the rehearsal itself, say so gently: “Dinner to follow; rehearsal attendance for wedding party.” That one distinction prevents confused arrivals at the ceremony site with the wrong outfit bag.
Rehearsal Dinner Invitation Wording Examples
Pick the block that matches who is hosting, then the tone. Swap in your names, times and places; keep both times when guests attend the rehearsal and the dinner.
Hosted by the Groom's Parents (Traditional)
Mr. and Mrs. [Last Name]
request the pleasure of your company
at the rehearsal dinner in honor of
[Name] and [Name]
[Day], [Date] · seven o'clock in the evening
[Restaurant], [City]
Kindly reply by [date]
[Parent] and [Parent] invite you to dinner
the night before [Name] and [Name] say "I do."
[Date] · Cocktails at 6:30, dinner at 7:15
[Venue] · Cocktail attire
Please RSVP by [date].
Hosted by the Bride's Parents or Both Families
The [Last Name] and [Last Name] families
invite you to celebrate [Name] and [Name]
at their rehearsal dinner
[Date] · [Time] · [Venue]
RSVP by [date].
Wedding rehearsal dinner invitation for [Couple].
Hosted by [Parents / Hosts]
[Date] · [Time] · [Place]
Smart evening attire. Kindly respond by [date].
Hosted by the Couple
We couldn't have gotten here without you.
Join us for dinner after the rehearsal.
[Date] · [Time] · [Restaurant]
Love, [Name] & [Name]
You're invited to [Couple]’s rehearsal dinner.
[Date] · [Time] · [Place]
Dinner for family and the wedding party following rehearsal. Please reply with dietary notes.
Rehearsal and Dinner on One Invitation
Please join us for the rehearsal dinner celebrating [Couple].
Hosted by [Host]
Rehearsal: [Time] at [Ceremony venue]
Dinner: [Time] at [Restaurant]
Cocktail attire. Kindly RSVP by [date].
Wedding party and readers: rehearsal at 4:30 p.m. at [Ceremony venue].
Everyone: dinner at 7:00 p.m. at [Restaurant], 15 minutes away.
[Date] · Dressy casual · RSVP by [date]
Formal Evening
In honor of the marriage of [Name] and [Name]
[Hosts] request the pleasure of your company
at a rehearsal dinner
[Date] at [Time]
[Venue]
Black tie optional · Reply requested by [date]
Casual: Backyard, Pizza or Brewery
No speeches longer than two minutes, we promise.
Rehearsal dinner BBQ at the [Last Name]s'
[Date] · 6 p.m. · [Address]
Jeans welcome. Tell us by [date] if you're coming.
Pizza, beer and the people who make us us.
Rehearsal dinner at [Brewery], [Date], 7 p.m.
Come straight from the rehearsal. RSVP by [date].
Destination Weekend
Rehearsal dinner at [Vineyard / Venue].
[Date] · Cocktails [time] · Dinner [time]
Destination evening—shuttles from [Hotel] at [time]. RSVP by [date].
Welcome to [Town]! Before the big day,
join us for a seaside dinner on [Date] at [Time].
[Restaurant], a 10-minute walk from [Hotel].
Resort casual; flat shoes for the boardwalk. RSVP by [date].
Combined Welcome Party (All Guests)
Rehearsal dinner & welcome party
Everyone who traveled for [Couple] is invited.
[Date] · 7–10 p.m. · [Venue]
Drinks, stations and a few short toasts. RSVP by [date].
Wedding Party and Family Only
For our wedding party, family and their partners:
dinner after the rehearsal on [Date], [Time], at [Restaurant].
A small table, a big thank-you. Please reply by [date].
Attire Lines You Can Drop In
- Cocktail attire. Rehearsal first, so bring a layer for the ceremony site.
- Dressy casual: no tie needed, no jeans please.
- Smart evening attire; the private room is upstairs.
- Resort casual. The terrace is on grass, so skip the stilettos.
- Come as you are: we're heading straight from the rehearsal.
- Black tie optional, to match the wedding.
For additional wedding language patterns, see wedding invitation wording examples. Dinner-party tone variants: dinner party invitation wording.
Rehearsal Dinner Wording for Special Situations
Combined Rehearsal Dinner and Welcome Party
When the rehearsal dinner turns into a welcome party for every out-of-town guest, the invitation has to say who comes to which part. Put the smaller event first, then the open one.
Please join us the night before the wedding
Rehearsal dinner for family and wedding party · 6:30 p.m.
Welcome drinks for all wedding guests · from 8:30 p.m.
[Venue], [City] · Kindly reply by [date]
Friday night, everyone's invited.
Dinner for the wedding party at 7, then the welcome party opens to all guests at 9.
[Venue] · Casual cocktail attire
For welcome-party-only wording, see our wedding welcome party invitations guide.
Rehearsal Dinner for a Destination Wedding
At a destination wedding the rehearsal dinner is often the first time everyone is in the same place, so add travel details guests won't have at home: the meeting point, the transport time and what the weather calls for.
Welcome to [Destination]!
Join us for the rehearsal dinner on [Day], [Date]
Shuttle leaves [Hotel] lobby at 6:15 · Dinner at 7 at [Restaurant]
Resort casual · Please RSVP by [date]
We made it to [Destination], and so did you.
Rehearsal dinner on the terrace, [Day] at sunset (about 6:45).
Walking distance from the hotel; flat shoes recommended.
Rehearsal Dinner Invitations With a Plus-One
Write the guest's name and, if invited, their partner's name. If a plus-one is allowed but not known, say “and guest.” If plus-ones are not included, the names on the invitation say it for you, so there's no need to add a line about it.
[Guest Name] and Guest
are invited to the rehearsal dinner for [Couple]
[Date] · [Time] · [Restaurant]
Please include your guest's name when you RSVP.
Short Text Versions
Use these as the message you send with the invitation link, or as a follow-up you send yourself.
- Rehearsal dinner for [Couple]: [Day] [Date], 7 p.m., [Restaurant]. Cocktail attire. RSVP here: [link]
- Wedding party: rehearsal 4:30 at [Venue], dinner 7:00 at [Restaurant]. All details in the link: [link]
- You're on the rehearsal dinner list! [Date], [Time]. Partners welcome. Please reply by [date]: [link]
- Shuttle from [Hotel] to the rehearsal dinner leaves at 6:15. Reply by [date] so we hold you a seat: [link]
- Quick nudge: the restaurant needs our final count Friday. Can you RSVP here? [link]
- Room change: rehearsal dinner is now in the garden room at [Restaurant]. Same time, 7 p.m.
Say it in your 15-second video message: "Hi everyone, it's [Name] and [Name]. Dinner after the rehearsal is on us: [Day] at seven at [Restaurant]. Just RSVP on the invite so we can give the restaurant a count." Hold to record it in the App; a personal hello from the hosts makes the invitation feel like part of the weekend, not a logistics email.
Rehearsal Dinner Video Invitation Templates
Candlelit Supper opens on a set table with candles, china and a small "You're invited" card. It fits a restaurant dinner or a formal evening hosted by parents.
Moonlight Supper Club is a line drawing of friends around a dinner table on cream-and-blush stripes. It suits a relaxed dinner hosted by the couple.
Lake Como Wedding shows a lakeside villa and an envelope sealed with wax. It is the natural pick when the rehearsal dinner opens a destination weekend.
When to Send Rehearsal Dinner Invitations
Send them after the wedding invitations, once you know who is coming to the wedding, and early enough for the restaurant's final count. The timing is the same whether you mail them or text a link.
| Situation | Send | RSVP by |
|---|---|---|
| Local wedding | 3–4 weeks before | 1–2 weeks before (restaurant count) |
| Destination or travel-heavy weekend | 4–6 weeks before | 2 weeks before |
| Combined welcome party for all guests | 4–6 weeks before, or with the weekend itinerary | 2 weeks before |
| Restaurant needs a deposit count early | As soon as the date and room are booked | The venue's deadline, minus a few days |
A few days before your RSVP date, send a short text yourself to anyone who hasn't answered. That is usually all the follow-up a rehearsal dinner needs.
Timing: Rehearsal vs. Dinner
Many weekends run rehearsal late afternoon, then dinner. Put both times on the invite when both matter—and put travel time between sites when the ceremony lawn and the restaurant aren’t a five-minute walk. Guests in cocktail attire with garment bags will not invent accurate drive times.
Align the dinner with the rest of the weekend timeline so it doesn’t collide with welcome drinks or late vendor setups. If the welcome party and rehearsal dinner are different events, label both clearly on the itinerary so guests don’t merge them. Common mistake: listing only “Saturday evening” when rehearsal starts at 4:30 and dinner at 7:00 in another zip code—half the wedding party arrives at the wrong place first.
Venue Directions
- Restaurant or private room — reservation name, dress, arrival window
- Vineyard or destination venue — travel time from hotels, sunset notes, footwear
- Backyard or home — parking, restrooms, weather backup
- Hotel dining room — easy for overnight guests; include lobby meeting notes if helpful
Destination venues deserve extra logistics lines. Guests already managing ceremony transport will thank you for shuttle times and walking estimates.
Who to Invite
Customs vary by family, culture, and budget. A common list:
- The couple and their parents (and stepparents)
- The wedding party and their partners
- The officiant, readers and anyone else in the rehearsal
- Grandparents and siblings
- Out-of-town guests, if the hosts choose a larger welcome-style dinner
Put the practical rule on the invite: if someone receives the rehearsal dinner invitation, they should assume they’re welcome at dinner; if the list is limited, don’t send the invite as a soft maybe. Partners of the wedding party are usually included; say so on the invitation so nobody has to ask.
Dress Code and Weekend Continuity
Dress cues are often “cocktail,” “smart evening,” or “dressy casual.” Match the venue. Keep fonts and naming consistent with the wider suite so guests feel the weekend is one story—welcome brunch, rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and optional farewell brunch on post-wedding brunch invitations.
If the rehearsal dinner is notably more casual than the wedding, say so. Guests packing one suitcase need that signal.
Speeches, Gifts, and Toasts
Rehearsal dinners often include toasts. You don’t need a full program on the invitation, but hosts can note “toasts welcome” privately to speakers. Gifts for the couple are usually not the focus—the wedding handles that—so avoid registry language here unless a host family tradition requires it.
Sending a Digital Rehearsal Dinner Invitation
Digital rehearsal dinner invitations travel well across wedding party group chats and family threads, especially when one parent is collecting replies in one city and the best man is forwarding details in another. With TwistInvite:
- Pick a template in the App, add your event details and your own photos, video or audio if you like.
- Hold to record a short voice message from the hosts (up to 15 seconds on the free plan).
- Share the link by text or in the wedding party chat, with your wording in the message.
- Guests watch in their browser and answer Going, Can't make it or Maybe without an app or an account, and you follow the replies in the App.
That no-account path matters when older relatives will open a polished invite link but bounce off a forced sign-up. Explore the video invitation maker, see how an RSVP website collects replies, or read how to send wedding invitations by text and our guide to digital wedding invitations.
Rehearsal Dinner RSVP Form Questions
The restaurant usually needs a final count a few days ahead, so keep the RSVP short. Ask only what changes the plan:
- Will you attend? Going, Can't make it or Maybe.
- How many in your party, with names if a plus-one is invited.
- Meal choice, if the restaurant needs it in advance.
- Allergies or dietary needs.
- Will you take the shuttle? (Only if you are arranging transport.)
On TwistInvite, guests open the invitation link in their browser and reply without creating an account; email is optional. Collect meal choices or shuttle numbers separately if the restaurant asks for them.
Before You Send
- Rehearsal site and dinner venue spelled correctly, with addresses
- Host names exactly as they should appear
- Both times, plus travel time between sites
- Dress cue and shuttle time
- RSVP deadline that works for the restaurant
- Nothing that contradicts the wedding website or itinerary
Open the TwistInvite app to pick a template and send your rehearsal dinner invitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you write on a rehearsal dinner invitation?
Name the hosts and the couple, label it as the rehearsal dinner, and give the date, the dinner time and place, the rehearsal time if the guest attends it, the dress code and an RSVP-by date.
When should rehearsal dinner invitations be sent?
Three to four weeks before a local wedding and four to six weeks before a destination weekend. Ask for replies one to two weeks before the dinner so the restaurant has a final count.
Who traditionally hosts the rehearsal dinner?
Traditionally the groom's parents, but today it is often both families, the couple or whoever offers. Put the actual hosts' names on the invitation.
Who is invited to the rehearsal dinner?
Usually the couple, their parents, the wedding party and their partners, the officiant and readers. Some hosts add grandparents, siblings or all out-of-town guests.
Do rehearsal dinner invitations need both rehearsal and dinner times?
Include both when invitees are expected at each, or when locations differ. Clarity prevents wrong-place arrivals.
How formal should the invite be?
Slightly more relaxed than ceremony stationery is common, but it should still feel part of the wedding weekend.
Do you put the rehearsal dinner on the wedding website?
Only if every wedding guest is invited. If the guest list is smaller, send the rehearsal dinner invitation separately to the people who are invited and leave it off the public website.
Create it in the TwistInvite app
Download free on iPhone or Android, then share one link with your guests.