Is the rehearsal dinner a must?

Most people say it's necessary only if you have a rehearsal. So if you aren't having one then it's ok to forego it. I had a rehearsal so of course we had a dinner after to also thank everyone for taking their time out for us

Yes what Melle said. Depending on your timeline, if you have rehearsal the same day then you definitely don't need the night before rehearsal dinner.

Ok so we are having a rehearsal. Is the dinner for the wedding party or the wedding party and their families?

Hey Robert! As the pp’s mentioned, if you are having a rehearsal the evening before your wedding, you should have a meal for those involved. That being said, it doesn’t have to be anything super expensive and formal. You could do something like pizza for everyone or have a BBQ in your backyard.

You can invite whoever you want to your rehearsal dinner, but you should start with your immediate family and your wedding party. If you would like to invite more guests, you could extend the invite to the wedding party dates and special family and friends.

Thank you!! This was difficult to really understand who all should be there. I do have a better understanding thanks to you guys.