Spice Up Your Rehearsal Dinner

By Brynna Nichols

The last few years have been filled with my friends getting married. Whether I have been in the bridal party or not, I kept feeling that the rehearsal dinners have been a missed opportunity to connect a large group that may not necessarily all know each other. Whether it’s creating friendships between groomsmen and bridesmaids or fostering bonds between members of both families, the rehearsal dinner is a great way to start out your wedding on a positive note. The ideas below have one overarching theme – activity! Activities allow conversations to emerge a bit more naturally, helping to break the ice easier than simply sharing a meal. When your guests can share an experience, they will get to know each other on a different level, allowing them to build authentic relationships that foster a fantastic wedding day and a stronger community to help support your marriage.

1. Cooking Class
   A cooking class allows your guests to learn new skills while helping each other out! In Reno, there’s no better option than Nothing To It for an interactive and yummy rehearsal dinner for up to 40. One of their many great options is to have your friends and family make the delicious appetizers together under the direction of the talented staff and then have the staff finish things off by having them prepare the main course. No matter the needs of your group, Nothing To It allows you to customize the experience to meet the needs of your unique crowd.
2. Art Class
   A group painting class is sure to get the creative juices flowing for your guests. Canvas Junkies, located in South Reno, is the perfect location to bring your loved ones together to learn how to paint, while also giving them a meaningful souvenir to take home. This venue can accommodate a group of up to 65 together in one room for a step by step painting class allowing everyone’s creative side to shine!
   

   

   Canvas Junkies allows you to bring in an outside caterer, such as local favorite, Char-B-Que (which has delicious vegetarian options in addition to their signature meat dishes!) to nourish, while the friendly staff at Canvas Junkies serves wine and beer from behind the oversized bar in the studio.

   

   
3. Trivia
   OK, so maybe you’ve already chosen to have a traditional rehearsal dinner. Why not mix it up a bit by adding in a fun activity? Trivia is a terrific way to build relationships, especially if you intentionally form teams so that everyone gets a chance to engage with someone new. Try breaking up the friend and family groups for a portion of the evening to get people talking with people they may have never met before. Whether you create the trivia yourself or utilize a professional, such at DJ Trivia, you can be sure to get engage the crowd with a little competitiveness. Mix in a couple rounds of trivia specifically about the couple to really personalize the experience and offer fun prizes for the winning team.