Rehearsal dinner nightmare

mimi2 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-20-2007, 05:23 AM

Hi Everyone,
This is my first post so if I do anything wrong, please correct me.

Now for the problem. My son is getting married in October. What started as a small wedding has grown to gigantic -- 800 people on the invitation list. As parents of the groom I know we are responsible for the rehearsal dinner but here's lies the problem. The wedding is in a very small town in which there are no restaurants available. We have chosen a B&B thinking the guest list would only be about 50 to 60 people. Wrong. It is now at 125 and growing. The meal will have to be buffet style, but my problem is the seating. The B&B is small and will not accomodate this many people. I need suggestions, help!!! I want something casual but not extremely casual. Would it be out of line to set up tables and chairs outside? The bride and groom want a cajun type meal -- does anyone have suggestions?
This thread may be confusing, I would appreciate any ideas, help you can give.

Mimi

barbszy · #2 (**permalink**) 05-20-2007, 05:44 AM

Hi Mimi and welcome!

You did fine on your first post.

800 people--what a huge wedding! I don't think I KNOW 800 people!

I hope someone here has some good ideas for your rehearsal dinner.

ditzy46 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-20-2007, 06:21 AM

Hi Mimi
Welcome to Fc. Wow what a daunting job you have.
Have you thought about a barbecue? Ask family members to help cook some meals.
Assign some for rice dishes, some for potato dishes, some for desserts, some for meat, and so on. That way you have a different variety of foods and its not so stressful on you. You probably can rent a bbq pit. Some companies have a whole big setup with all the equipment. They even deliver and pick up too. Assign about 3 men to take shifts in the cooking. You can find many good cajun recipes online. Either do a google search or go to allrecipes.com, cooks.com, chuck wagon.com. The possibilities are endless.
Well good luck, and let us know how its going ok?

Debbie

DeBora4BobbyL · #4 (**permalink**) 05-20-2007, 07:12 AM

Wow! Is there a way that you can limit the amount of people that are coming? Isn't the rehearsal dinner just for people in the wedding party, the minister, and the bride and groom's family? If it isn't possible to reduce the amount of people, I don't see anything wrong with setting up tables outside, providing it isn't too cold and it the weather cooperates.

debknechtel · #5 (**permalink**) 05-20-2007, 07:43 AM

Hi there welcome to family corner.

When my brother got married and my dad felt it necessary to feed many people who came from out of towm what he did was had a rehearsal party with the bridal party , parents etc but at the hotel where most were staying he had them set up a suite with food for all those from out of town. This way everyone got fed.

Hugs Debbie

Pam_Ella · #6 (**permalink**) 05-21-2007, 07:17 AM

I think that fact that they want a cajun style dinner might just help you out....HECK YEA...put charis & tables outside...have big containers of sweet tea & lemonade...you might even try to hire a zydeco band or find a DJ that has that kind of music.
You can pull in the cajun theme and have fun doing it. Big pots of gumbo & jambalaya can make a little go a LONG way!!!!
I think outside it great & you can have fun with it as well...remember the red velvet cake....LOL :-)

mimi2 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-22-2007, 04:01 AM

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for all of the suggestions.
The town where the wedding will be is a small, small town in the south. So I feel that weather in October will be nice enough for an outside gathering. My problem is I can't "contain" the mother of the bride. There is no limiting the number of people that will be at the rehearsal meal -- and yes I too thought it was only for the wedding party and immediate family. Well, silly me for thinking such a thing. This has now become the PRE-wedding reception. UGH!!!
The wedding will be really formal so I told my son and his fiance that I wanted something casual so that everyone can relax and enjoy. I'm having a battle with her mother trying to keep it this way. Anyway, I've found a caterer and am now working on a menu. Based on what the mother wants served, I may have rob a bank -- just kidding, but hopefully you know what I mean.

Mimi

DeBora4BobbyL · #8 (**permalink**) 05-22-2007, 07:54 AM

Mimi, you are nicer than I am. I would have said, "You can invite X number of people. I'll let you pick." My DD's DH's family didn't do the rehearsal dinner. We had to foot that bill. I would just have to tell them that the wedding party, a few of our close family, and X number of their close family. If they want more, then they can invite them to a different location or rent a larger one. I would be nice about it, of course.

mimi2 · #9 (**permalink**) 05-24-2007, 11:48 AM

DeBora, I totally agree with you, but the mother is trying to make this the "wedding" of the century.
Don't get me wrong, I love weddings, but the conservative person that I am, some of the expenses for weddings are out of this world.
Anyway, I now have an approved (by the fiance and her mother) menu for the rehearsal meal. (I had to bite my tongue when they asked to approve it -- and yes it is up to the groom's parents to arrange and pay for the rehearsal dinner, but I don't think someone knows that). Anyway, I'll post the menu on the next reply and tell me what you think. I'm still waiting on the quote from the caterer.

Mimi

mimi2 · #10 (**permalink**) 05-24-2007, 12:02 PM

This is the menu for the rehearsal "dinner":
Hors D’oeuvres
Shrimp shots with Bloody Mary sauce
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Antipasto Tray
Baked Brie with Brown Sugar/Almond Crust w/toast rounds

Buffet
Mini Muffuletta sandwich
Creole Jambalaya with white rice
Crawfish Ettouffee with white rice
Mardi Gras Pasta
Warm Spinach Salad
Ceasar Salad
Garlic Bread

Dessert
Chocolate Groom’s Cake
Fruit plate and dip