Arghhhhhh!

rehearsal!
Rehearsal!
REHEARSAL!

Good gosh Connie get your act together! LOL

I don't recommend ours--LOL.

Here, it's traditional for the groom's family to host the rehearsal dinner. Usually, they reserve a private room in a nice restaurant. Sometimes, it's a sit-down dinner at the groom's parent's home. It's almost always something nice--because it's the groom's family's one chance to host a portion of the wedding.

Unfortunately, my inlaws were never really all that big on social customs and manners. MIL just had everyone back to the house, and ordered pizza, which she just left piled up on the kitchen table in the boxes, with paper plates and paper napkins for everyone to help themselves. I was completely mortified that my wedding attendants and family members were treated that way (growing up, we weren't even permitted to put mayonnaise, ketchup or mustard on the table in their jars. Pizza boxes? Unacceptable!) And BIL? Grabbed one box and took it off to hole up by himself with it (and wouldn't you know? it was the one pizza with the topping I wanted, of course!)

Anyway, one only gets married once. The rehearsal dinner should be just as special as the wedding itself. I'm not going to suggest what you should do, not knowing what is traditional in your area of the country, just try to make it an evening your daughter will remember with excitement and pride--not one she'll still remember with embarrassement over 35 years later.

Best wishes to the young couple--hope their life together is everything they dream of and more.

How about a Spagetti Dinner. Frozen Meat Balls with Ragu and a Giant Salad with Garlic Bread. Have everything ready ahead of time except the Spagetti.

Or, far that matter Lasagna made ahead.

Gayle

For my daughter's rehearsal, her MIL just picked up chicken and stuff from the supermarket deli. It was great and casual and easy.

I don't know how formal you wish this rehearsal to be but here's a couple suggestions for informal fare:

Get a spiral Ham & put it in to bake prior to the rehearsal, then when everyone arrives back home-the aroma will permeate your home. Easy to bake (use a roaster), easy to serve & almost everyone likes ham. Many, many parties I've had-I do something that is well received..I roast a turkey & place it whole on the buffet table. There's just something about it that folks love to carve off a portion themselves! Some nice crusty rolls along the turkey as well as lettuce, mayo, etc-for those who'd like a sandwich.
Another idea might be-if it's chilly? Make up a pot of Clam chowder or soup of your choice. If not a milk based soup-you can make it a week ahead & freeze, then thaw & heat in crock pots. Have a big bowl of oyster crackers on hand.
Deli salads, beans? Make it easy on yourself. Maybe cream puffs, cookies, brownies or fruit tarts would be nice for a dessert table.
Justa' thought.

Chicken/Beef Fajitas served Buffet Style can be prepared ahead of time.

Homemade Chilli in a Crock Pot with a Side Salad. Corn Fitter & Crackers.

Homemade Beef/Vegetable Stew in a Crock Pot.

Maybe I'm thinking to Southern for you.

Gayle

It will be at the kids home. The grooms Mother just passed away in May, Grooms father is now in a veterans home. Bride and Groom will be the hosts. Casual and easy is great.
If I make lasagna do I cook it before freezing? I have froze when there is just a little bit leftover after baking but never a full pan or more.

For Alex & Rachel's New Years Eve wedding, we had "soup & salad" for the rehersal dinner, We had 3 different soups, a cream, an all vegi, and a chicken tortilla style soup. A green salad and lots of seperate toppings, and a mixed vegi salad. (Rachel and lots of friends are vegaterians).Then we had breads, a cornbread, herb rolls and breadsticks. You can do the soups early and just have them in crock pots, the salads and breads can all be done ahead also. Since your weather will be cool, this could work.

No, you don't need to bake lasagne before you freeze it. But allow plenty of time (and space) to thaw in the fridge before baking it. It's kind of tricky to bake it from frozen and not burn parts of it.

Make sure the lasagne noodles are completely covered with sauce. Otherwise it will be crunchy.

Gayle

What about scallaped potatoes and a ham? And a salad or 2 and some cream puffs from Sam's Club! Easy and really good!

Or a couple of soups in crockpots, some bread sticks and a couple of salads.

Baked Ziti would be easier than lasagna, add a crock pot of meatballs and sauce with garlic bread, fresh grated cheese and salad.

How many people are coming?

I would borrow crock pots and do a few one-pot dishes with green salad and good bread. Everything will be hot when you arrive.

Dessert can be rainbow sherbert and some good Walkers shortbread.

Sounds like a fun evening!
Enjoy
Dee

Lots of great suggestions!
We are going to get this figured out soon as the bride is heading to Sams on the 13th.
The only thing for sure is the dessert will be a cake from the bride to groom.
During all the planning and of course questions between him and her and what about this.... or do you like this....or what do you think of this...he kept saying the wedding cake should have "Everybody Wang Chung tonight" on it..LOL he is a nut! So the dessert will be a yellow cake with chocolate frosting (his absolute favorite cake) and it shall have the song name on it! I can't wait to see the expression on his face!

PS She has about 32 people on the list, so not a huge number but alot to get in a home! LOL

Make that 32 adults and 9 or 10 kids.

The grooms parents WERE going to do a Taco Bar, but Groom wanted to eat out. I think Taco Bar would have been easier (and a lot more fun), not that we didn't have a great time! Browned Ground beef with seasoning kept warm in a crock pot...tortilla's, taco shells, shredded lettuce in a bag, shredded lettuce in a bag, sour cream, oh, you may have to cut up some tomatoes. So not much work either!

Shredded beef sandwiches would be great too (DD#1 has a great recipe that is easy to make in a crock pot, I'm sure someone here has one too). Just keep it simple.

Vickey-MN

For my first son's wedding we had it in the back yard...but it was in the the late afternoon. This time we are going to have it at a Hawaiian restaraunt down at the beach. Much easier for us! All we have to do is pay for it and show up! The ourdoor one was nice though, I love outdoor events! We grilled carne asada and marinated chicken. Had lots of salads and we set up a taco bar to make tacos if people wanted to. It was fun...so relaxing, but alot of work.

I went to one rehearsal dinner that was held in the bride's aunt's country restaurant and they served the best fried chicken dinner. I wouldn't suggest making it yourself at home but around here the grocery stores make it and you can call ahead for mass quantities.

Deli trays and pasta sounds good too. Heck, the pizza sounds great, out of the box or not.

You have gotten some great ideas. Keep it simple.
XDH and I were paying for our own so he decided to have it at a Mexican restaurant and invite out of town guests and have everyone pay for their own dinner. He did pay for his DB & family since DB was the pastor performing the ceremony. My out of town guests thought it was a great idea and loved it. DH's other DB & SIL got in a snit and said they couldn't afford it (they have lots & lots of money). We had fun without them.

We had a morning rehearsal and a rehearsal luncheon at a restaurant. It was great.

I have made lasgna ahead of time and frozen it many times. As others said, make sure there are no noodles sticking up. Cover the lasagna with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Do not let the aluminum foil touch the top of the lasagna (it reacts with the foil and melts it, leaving little aluminum globs on the cheese. Take my word for it).

I think a spiral ham is a great idea as well. Super easy (Sam's has them) and people love them. I'd do a lasagna or two, a ham, maybe some corn muffins, some white rolls, a large salad.