Rehersal diner

[MS Fowler]

One of my sons is getting married in May, and being the parents of the groom we need to do the rehearsal diner.
What is the range of costs for a rehearsal diner? We are not wealthy, but do not wish to be cheap, either.
What is a middle-of-the-road cost?

The area will be New Hope, PA. Any specific recommendations?

[TheDon]

pizza hut!

[vwbuge]

Are you going to buy the whole DINER or buy the DINNER?

New Hope, PA?????? Open your wallet and watch your rear. (someone else will be watching it)

[Chad300tdt]

The Mansion Inn is very cool. I've eaten there several times and had drinks on the patio in warmer months more times than I can remember.

http://www.themansioninn.com/


My friends own "A Beautiful Life" in New Hope and I designed their logo and signage.

[t walgamuth]

Spend what you can afford. If doing it at a restaurant is not in your budget have a cookout. Really its not the amount spent. Folks are gathering to celebrate the marriage of two bright promising young people. They'll have as much fun eating brats and drinking PBR from a keg as eating steak and drinking wine from bottles with a cork!

I am not a poor person but I have five kids. We have married off four already and spent a fraction of what some of the people we know did. We had a great time at each of the weddings.

One of my daughters inlaws wanted to hire a certain caterer who was a friend of the family and agreed to pay the difference in the cost. I am not too proud to accept that. We would have been proud to have had it catered by the less expensive caterer.

But when the lovely Mrs. and I got married we had the reception at a friends house and ate brats, beer and homemade potato salad, and had a great time.

To me borrowing money to spend on a big wedding bash is just totally irresponsible.

The people and the event take precedence and determine how much fun you all have!

[el presidente]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Spend what you can afford....

....To me borrowing money to spend on a big wedding bash is just totally irresponsible.

EXACTLY!

(to the O.P. - how many people are you talking about)?

[Kuan]

It's just a get together after the wedding rehearsal. There's no need to be formal but you want a nice place where you can sit and chat. If I had mine today I'd have it at a place like Buca de Beppo which is set up for these kinds of things. They have their restaurant sectioned off and there are even some rooms with big round tables for ten. It's much better than a banquet room at a hotel or some other banquet facility where the decor is little to nonexistent and the food is held for an hour before it gets to your table. The food is better than edible and everything is served family style. The atmosphere is great fun. Let's say conducive to rowdiness given the right amount of vino. It's best of all if you're Catholic because there's all kinds of artsy references to the pope and all.

[MS Fowler]

The logistics on the cookout thing would be difficult, at best, as no one in the wedding party lives near enough to New Hope to serve as the site. But there might be a way to make it work--I'll think about it a while.

The wedding reception is being held in a micro brewery.
This is a group of professional musicians and university professors, all above the age of 32 or so.
Of course, my wife NEEDS to maintain a certain image. I am not sure we can go informal.

[Chad300tdt]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

The logistics on the cookout thing would be difficult, at best, as no one in the wedding party lives near enough to New Hope to serve as the site. But there might be a way to make it work--I'll think about it a while.

The wedding reception is being held in a micro brewery.
This is a group of professional musicians and university professors, all above the age of 32 or so.
Of course, my wife NEEDS to maintain a certain image. I am not sure we can go informal.

May is a perfect time for the outdoor patio and yard at the Mansion Inn, plus across the street and down a bit is John and Peter's. They have live music all the time. They'd be good for after the rehearsal dinner. Park on Bridge street at the train station.

Another cool restaurant is Triumph Brewery (right at the train station), so you could keep the microbrewery theme going.

[SwampYankee]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

One of my sons is getting married in May, and being the parents of the groom we need to do the rehearsal diner.
What is the range of costs for a rehearsal diner? We are not wealthy, but do not wish to be cheap, either.
What is a middle-of-the-road cost?

The area will be New Hope, PA. Any specific recommendations?

We just had a big bash in my parent's backyard with a cookout and booze and had a great time. I suppose it might depend on what the bride will let you get away with but being very unpretentious it was perfect for us. (In fact we got married in their backyard on the patio in May so we already had the tent set up for ambiance and the potential of rain.) Otherwise $25ish/head is probably a reasonable number for meal and beverages.

[Mistress]

Congrats on the up coming nuptuals and I have no clue about rehearsal dinners, I'm not good with paper work.

[mgburg]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

The logistics on the cookout thing would be difficult, at best, as no one in the wedding party lives near enough to New Hope to serve as the site. But there might be a way to make it work--I'll think about it a while.

The wedding reception is being held in a micro brewery.
This is a group of professional musicians and university professors, all above the age of 32 or so.
Of course, my wife NEEDS to maintain a certain image. I am not sure we can go informal.

Is there a county/municiple park in the area? Something that has a nice view and backdrop? Most towns/counties take deposits and such for reserving such areas, and you can drive in and check out the ammenities...water, electric, washrooms, available parking, etc. ...

But, you may have to decide fast...usually, these places get booked fast and usually, at the the beginning of the year...around La Crosse, there's a waiting line/list setup for one or two areas that have a fantastic view of the Mississippi and the shelters are usually in pristine shape for the day's bookings...

And like everything else...it's always a crap-shoot with the weather...so be sure you have a "shelter" as the 'Plan B' in case of rain/sleet/snow/monsoon/whatever...

[MS Fowler]

Originally Posted by mgburg

Is there a county/municiple park in the area? Something that has a nice view and backdrop? Most towns/counties take deposits and such for reserving such areas, and you can drive in and check out the ammenities...water, electric, washrooms, available parking, etc. ...

But, you may have to decide fast...usually, these places get booked fast and usually, at the the beginning of the year...around La Crosse, there's a waiting line/list setup for one or two areas that have a fantastic view of the Mississippi and the shelters are usually in pristine shape for the day's bookings...

And like everything else...it's always a crap-shoot with the weather...so be sure you have a "shelter" as the 'Plan B' in case of rain/sleet/snow/monsoon/whatever...

I was actually beginning to think along the same lines...

[Chad300tdt]

I don't know of any parks like that in the area.

You could do your search in New Hope, Lambertville (right across the river from New Hope) and Lahaska (Peddler's Village).

[TX76513]

Many years ago we attended a Wedding Rehearsal Dinner that (at the time) I thought was totally bizarre and in bad taste. They rented lanes at a bowling alley complete with Pizza and Beer. Now as we think back it was probably the best time ever had at a rehearsal dinner.