Are you supposed to invite the house party to the rehearsal dinner ?

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The rehearsal dinner is the responsibility of the groom's family and they should make the final decisions about who to invite or not invite.  From an etiquette point, the only ones that need to be invited to the dinner are the members of the wedding party and spouses and parents of the flower girl and ring bearer (be sure to invite the minister if you know him/her).  However, if the groom's family can afford it and there is room, it is a courtesy to invite relatives who have come from out of town rather than leaving them alone all evening.  It is also a courtesy to invite musicians, singers, and the wedding coordinator.

For this reason, many families choose to keep the rehearsal dinner simple and relaxed, perhaps a barbeque or a picnic, where it isn't expensive to include additional people and the atmosphere is more relaxed, allowing time for the two families to get acquainted and for those from out of town to see everyone before the hustle and bustle of the wedding day, when relaxing and visiting may not be an option.

Glenna Tooman, ForeverWed.com Wedding Consultant
 

 
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