{"id":3092,"date":"2012-04-03T12:22:08","date_gmt":"2012-04-03T12:22:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/studiowednashville.com\/nashvilleblog\/?p=3092"},"modified":"2014-01-09T00:58:52","modified_gmt":"2014-01-09T00:58:52","slug":"kelly-plans-a-wedding-the-rehearsal-dinner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/studiowed.net\/nashville\/kelly-plans-a-wedding-the-rehearsal-dinner\/","title":{"rendered":"Kelly Plans a Wedding: The Rehearsal Dinner"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes I get a bit maniacal about details. It pays to be maniacal as a wedding planner, so I guess I’m in the right field! ;) But what that translates to in my personal life (and planning my OWN wedding) is obsessive, compulsive detail-planning. I probably have eighty different Word files on my laptop with various lists relating to our wedding. {Broken into “To Do’s,” checklists, DIY project lists, and then the details… file upon file upon file of details. Details I’ve seen in previous weddings, details I dream up on my own, details I couldn’t bear to forget, and details from the things I’ve already got arranged.} And then about twenty more scribbled onto loose notebook paper, written into diaries and journals, scratch paper, receipts, old envelopes and bank statements…. you get the picture. It’s only slightly embarrassing. {I also have files on my phone. My non-data plan phone from 2009. So, like, written on my ancient Tools’ “Notepad.”}<\/p>\n

What does a maniacal planner do when she has exhausted almost every detail humanly possible to incorporate into her own WEDDING? She starts planning the next thing — the rehearsal dinner!<\/p>\n

Traditionally, the groom’s side of the family takes care of the rehearsal dinner planning and arrangements. Some brides like to delegate it away, handing it off from their own to-do list. I, of course, am not one of those brides. While my grandmother is generously taking care of the food and is the official “host” for the evening, I took it upon myself to step up to neurotically plan every last element of the day to truly make it an EVENT.<\/p>\n

Our wedding’s on a Saturday in July, so the rehearsal will be the evening prior. Since we’re having the wedding at what can be considered “out of town” location 35-40 minutes outside of Nashville, we wanted to make sure everyone has time to get out of work and make the trip up to Pleasant View with ample time. \u00a0We’ve allotted an hour to rehearse {we have some chronically late people in our group, myself included}, and then the dinner will immediately follow.<\/p>\n

Whenever I first started dreaming up rehearsal dinner venues, one immediately stuck out in my mind as the perfect place. It had everything we need: \u00a0rental tables and chairs, a covered area {despite being outdoors}, beautiful location, close to The Livery Stables, allowed us to bring in all our own food {this will be a budget-friendly affair and very home-grown!} and decorations. I work part-time as a planner\/assistant at Front Porch Farms<\/a>, and from the first time I worked an event there last fall, I immediately saw the appeal that had won over so many brides! Kathy doesn’t usually take any weddings in July or August due to the scorching weather {it’s ALL outdoors!} and since the venue is her family’s personal home {you have to take SOME time off!}, so I lucked out big-time hosting my hot July evening event.<\/p>\n

We originally wanted to have our wedding outdoors {especially when we were looking at a late September wedding date}. Giving up that aspect of our “dream wedding” was hard, but we knew we’d ALL be grateful for air-conditioning when the time came. In a lot of ways, our rehearsal dinner will be the way we absolutely would’ve loved to throw our wedding but couldn’t, for various reasons. It’ll be more intimate than the big day {just bridal party, immediate family, and out-of-towners, saving all<\/em> our near-and-dear for the wedding!!!!}, less stressful {less moving parts!}, and more family-involved. We’re going to use our original color scheme {or at least a spin-off of it — as opposed to our totally transformed wedding colors}, have the grits bar I’ve been dying to serve, and do it all ourselves {without the worry of trying to “do it all” on the day when we should be taking a backseat and playing the role of “Bride” and “Groom”}. It may not be the most glamorous affair, but I can guarantee it will be fun. :)<\/p>\n

Without trying to spoil it all, here are some of the details I’m incorporating: \u00a0lawn games, barbecue and a grits buffet, lemonade and sweet tea, and open “mic” toasts. Can’t wait!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

From top left, clockwise: \u00a0biscuit bar<\/a>, banana pudding<\/a> in Mason jars, yellow runners<\/a>, banana pudding<\/a>, lawn games signage<\/a>, paper sack menu<\/a>, lanterns<\/a> with florals, “just married” swing<\/a>, cool-air drink station<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes I get a bit maniacal about details. It pays to be maniacal as a wedding planner, so I guess I’m in the right field! ;) But what that translates to in my personal life (and planning my OWN wedding) is obsessive, compulsive detail-planning. I probably have eighty different Word files on my laptop with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[120,151,468],"class_list":["post-3092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-inspiration","category-kelly-plans-a-wedding","tag-front-porch-farms","tag-inspiration-board","tag-kelly-plans-a-wedding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiowed.net\/nashville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiowed.net\/nashville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiowed.net\/nashville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studiowed.net\/nashville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studiowed.net\/nashville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3092"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/studiowed.net\/nashville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3092\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiowed.net\/nashville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studiowed.net\/nashville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studiowed.net\/nashville\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}