My first pro tip: I always take charge of orchestrating the rehearsal dinner. A seasoned wedding planner will ensure every aspect of your destination wedding is meticulously coordinated for a seamless experience.
While it shouldn’t overshadow your big day, your rehearsal dinner deserves its own special attention. The ambiance, venue selection, and culinary experience—every detail matters. Which brings us to an important question that should be addressed early in the planning process: how much does the rehearsal dinner cost?
Rehearsal dinner or welcome party?
When we talk about destination weddings – whether along the serene shores of Lake Como or in a sun-drenched estate in Provence – the rehearsal dinner has evolved into something far more sophisticated. It’s actually orchestrated in two distinct phases.
The first phase is the traditional rehearsal dinner itself. After running through the ceremony with your closest family and wedding party, we transition into an intimate dinner celebration. I always recommend keeping this portion concise, no longer than two hours, to maintain its exclusive nature.
Then comes the welcome party – this is where we invite all your guests to join in for an elegant cocktail reception. The vision? Creating a warm, inviting atmosphere where your guests can ease into the wedding weekend, explore the magnificent venue, and reconnect after their travels.
Here’s my signature approach: I love arranging an intimate rehearsal dinner for your inner circle (typically around 40 guests) from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, followed by a grand welcome party for all guests from 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM. We deliberately wrap up at a reasonable hour to ensure everyone is refreshed and radiant for your Big Day.
In this context, the question of ‘how much does the rehearsal dinner cost’ takes on a whole new meaning. It’s not just a pre-wedding dinner – it’s an event in its own right. Based on our most recent experience, luxury destination wedding rehearsal dinners and welcome parties typically range from $10,000 to $30,000 for 40-100 guests, with premium options exceeding $40,000. Each celebration is chic, elegant, relaxed, yet meticulously orchestrated to set the perfect tone for your wedding weekend.
Why host a rehearsal dinner the night before your wedding?
Still on the fence? Here’s why our discerning couples consistently choose to include this special evening in their destination wedding timeline:
- It creates a warm welcome for guests who’ve crossed the Atlantic, acknowledging their journey and commitment to being part of your celebration
- It ensures your wedding day begins with grace and intention, rather than rushed introductions
- It sets the tone for the festivities, creating the first chapter of what will become an unforgettable destination wedding experience
- It weaves meaningful connections between families and friends, especially for those meeting for the first time in this magical setting
As a luxury destination wedding planner, I can tell you that this evening often holds a special place in guests’ hearts. There’s something uniquely magical about its intimate nature, relaxed elegance, and the spontaneous moments that unfold. It’s where some of the most genuine and heartfelt connections are made.
Based on our experience planning luxury destination weddings across Southern France, the French Riviera, and Lake Como, I’ve seen how these evenings become cherished memories that guests talk about for years to come.
How much does a rehearsal dinner cost?
This is THE question: how much does the rehearsal dinner cost? For a luxury destination wedding, budgets vary widely based on several criteria.
Price ranges for rehearsal dinner at a luxury destination wedding
- Average budget: between $10,000 and $30,000 for both events (dinner with 35 people and party with 100 people)
- Can climb to: over $40,000 with added entertainment, design elements…
- The key factors? Number of guests, venue, catering, beverages, decor, entertainment… we’ll discuss these just below.
The couples who hire me often want this evening to be both memorable and true to their style. And no, that doesn’t necessarily mean extravagant. Sometimes, a dinner among the olive trees with string lights and a good Chianti creates more impact than fireworks.
What (really) makes the rehearsal dinner cost vary?
The number of guests
Originally, the rehearsal dinner was an intimate affair, reserved for the inner circle: parents, witnesses, bridesmaids, and groomsmen… No more than twenty guests, gathered after a formal ceremony rehearsal, in a relaxed yet private atmosphere.
But for a destination wedding, this format evolves. As I mentioned above, everything is structured around two distinct phases. First, the rehearsal dinner: it remains an intimate moment, reserved for the couple’s inner circle—parents, witnesses, bridesmaids, and groomsmen—typically thirty to forty people. It directly follows the ceremony rehearsal and lasts an average of two hours.
This dinner then transitions into the welcome party, where all guests are invited to join for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. This is where the evening expands: we move from an intimate gathering to an open format, with a more festive and relaxed atmosphere. This dual-phase approach allows us to carefully curate each moment: first, a private time for close connections, followed by a true welcome celebration.
The result? It’s no longer just a simple dinner, but two distinct events—each with its own style, atmosphere, and requirements. And naturally, this impacts the overall budget. This is what makes the question ‘how much does the rehearsal dinner cost’ both essential and inevitable.
The location
The choice of venue also weighs heavily in the equation. And as often in the world of destination weddings, it’s all about coherence. Two options present themselves for organizing your rehearsal dinner.
Some couples opt for logistical simplicity: hosting the dinner at the wedding venue itself, but in a distinct space. A shaded terrace, a cobblestone courtyard, a vaulted room—the idea is to create a different atmosphere from the following day, without changing location. It’s fluid, practical, elegant. This allows for a certain continuity in your guests’ experience, as they don’t need to travel for the occasion.
For example, for a wedding at Château d’Estoublon, we can arrange the rehearsal dinner in the shade of the olive trees or vineyards at sunset.
Others prefer to offer a completely different experience. A dinner in a charming local trattoria with raw authenticity, an evening on a boat at sunset, or a meal in an art gallery transformed for the occasion… It all depends on the tone you wish to set for this pre-wedding evening. The more logistics required—transportation, exclusive venue buyouts—the more the budget needs to adjust.
Personally, I love playing with contrasts: a relaxed dinner, always immersed in the local atmosphere of the destination wedding region, to kick off a highly structured weekend; or the reverse, an refined and elegant setup from the first evening if the next day’s wedding is planned to be more festive. Again, it all depends on the story you want to tell.
The meal format
The first sequence—in an intimate setting—consists of an often seated, refined, yet intentionally concise dinner. This special moment is designed to be warm, elegant, and serene—a suspended moment before the celebration.
Then, starting at 9 PM, we transition to the welcome party: a relaxed yet highly stylized reception designed for all guests. We shift to a cocktail reception format: interactive food stations, themed bars, live cooking demonstrations, and local specialties… All within a more free-flowing atmosphere, conducive to mingling and building excitement for the weekend ahead.
This dual format serves two complementary objectives: nurturing intimate moments while celebrating the guests’ arrival with flair. However, it also involves two distinct logistical approaches—two atmospheres, two types of service, two organizational structures—and therefore, two budget lines.
The beverages
This is often an underestimated budget item… yet it’s crucial. The beverage selection can significantly impact the rehearsal dinner cost.
For a destination wedding, it’s customary to offer a full open bar, including cocktails, spirits, and champagnes. This requires qualified staff, extensive inventory, and sometimes a mixologist bartender. It’s the most festive format… and the most expensive.
A common alternative at weddings: a signature cocktail upon arrival (a twisted negroni, a reimagined spritz), followed by wine and champagne at the table. This is a more controlled format that still allows you to offer your guests an elevated experience.
The entertainment
This is one of my favorite topics because it adds such a personal touch to the evening. A dinner without music can quickly lack energy. Conversely, sometimes a well-curated playlist played through quality speakers is enough to create the perfect atmosphere. But if you’re dreaming of an acoustic guitar-vocal duo, a jazz trio during cocktail hour, or even a DJ in lounge mode, this needs to be planned in advance.
Beyond music, consider short speeches, impromptu surprises, and photo slideshows. These elements can be simple… or they might require equipment, technical setup, or even an AV technician.
And we always come back to the same question: how much does the rehearsal dinner cost? The more we refine the experience, the more dimension it takes on—and the budget needs to follow this elevation in quality.
How to manage the rehearsal dinner cost?
I envision this evening as a true prologue, crafted with the same high standards as the rest of the weekend. My role is to orchestrate everything, without excess or unnecessary flourishes, but with precision, taste, and attention to detail. The goal: to create a moment that reflects who you are—and seamlessly integrates into your overall wedding experience, without a single misstep.
Here’s how I work with my clients:
Together, we define a total budget and expected guest count for the overall event, then allocate a realistic portion for the pre-wedding reception.
We determine what matters most: an exceptional venue, refined catering, a relaxed atmosphere, a specific dress code?
We list the essential elements and those that can be simplified.
And most importantly: we keep in mind that this dinner sets the tone for the wedding.
Who pays for the rehearsal dinner?
Traditionally, the parents who are not financing the wedding cover this dinner. What’s important to remember is that ‘how much does the rehearsal dinner cost’ depends as much on your vision as it does on your logistical choices.
How to create a stunning rehearsal dinner (without stealing the spotlight from the wedding)?
Here are some tips that I consistently apply:
- Don’t replicate your wedding day style. If your wedding is formal, opt for a more relaxed atmosphere for the evening before.
- Choose a different space, even within the same venue.
- Prioritize conviviality: large sharing platters, long tables, abundant candles.
- Prepare a little surprise (speeches, mini film, live music…) to make it memorable.
And most importantly: leave room for spontaneity. This dinner isn’t meant to be a copy-paste of the wedding; it’s an opportunity to create a distinct memory of its own.
The rehearsal dinner is a beautiful opportunity to gently kick off the festivities. And the question of ‘how much does the rehearsal dinner cost’ isn’t just about adding up numbers: it reflects your choices, your vision, your way of welcoming guests. On average, for a luxury destination wedding, plan between $10,000 to $30,000 for 40 to 100 guests across the two formats – the rehearsal dinner for 40 people and the welcome party for 100 guests. Maintain consistency with the rest of the wedding, but have fun creating a distinct atmosphere.
