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Yes. that’s right… don’t do it! Just go to our welcome reception venue!
We’re having people meet up at City Hall restaurant in Tribeca the night before our wedding.
(source)
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We ended up falling in love with City Hall in part because it was the relaxed feeling we wanted for a varied group of people that would be congregating that evening. Also the owner, Henry Meer, was so lovely to us and a pretty great salesman. We went on a Friday after work, and I guess we looked a little bit lost, and like snoopers. The next thing I knew, Henry was asking us about ourselves and had ordered us a glass of wine. In addition to being a pretty space, Henry charmed our pants off (figuratively, of course). We ended up returning an hour later and having a great dinner there.
We looked at a variety of places in lower Manhattan in an effort to try to find a place to meet up with our our of town guests the evening before the wedding. Since we’re not having a wedding party and therefore the whole rehearsal is sort of going to be more of a run-through, we’re also not going to have a full-fledged rehearsal dinner. Egads! No rehearsal dinner, my friends!
I know that there is a great debate about whether or not one should have a rehearsal dinner with all of the out-of-town guests, but we really couldn’t do that. It was just not budget friendly for us. We had much more grandiose plans prior to Mr. Swan losing his job, but as you can imagine, that got thrown by the wayside. Instead, we’ve invited our guests to join us for drinks for a 2 1/2 hour period the night before. I may even dip out a little early since I’ve got an early morning ahead of me the next day.
Are you foregoing a traditional rehearsal dinner?
I think you’re fine without inviting out-of-towners. As much as we would love to get to spend more time with our travellers, we’re only having immediate family and bridal party because our budget doesn’t allow for it either. What a classy-looking place!!
I agree, if you have a small budget and large OOT list, it’s like throwing a 2nd wedding to have them all at the rehersal dinner! This sounds like a great plan.
@kjpugs: I totally agree! Only 3 of our guests actually live in our wedding city, so if I followed “etiquette” of inviting OOTs, I’d basically have 2 weddings! No way!
But Swan, this place is so nice! Your guests will love it, I’m sure!
Looks great. We are having a disco (tacos) at my aunts house after our rehearsal with the bridal party and our folks. Nothing big just us and the gang enjoying some home-made Mexican food. Nothing we rather do than relax the night before with the people that really mean the world to us.
I think we are going to end up doing a potluck dinner because we can’t afford taking everyone out to eat, either.
This place is awesome! I really like this idea since we can’t really afford to do a rehearsal either. We have a big bridal party (6 on each side) and if you add out of towners…. i think we’re up to like 50 people out of a 100 person wedding. Too much!
I’m going to look into something like this, thanks!
That sounds like a fun alternative to a rehearsal dinner. And a lot less stress!
We are having a rehearsal dinner but also cannot invite out of town guests for budget reasons. I am thinking about having everyone who is in town that night join us after the reheasal dinner (same venue as we are renting it for the night) for provided snacks and a cash bar.
Miss Swan, are you paying for the drinks or having a cash bar?
Actually, drinks sounds like a lot more fun than your typical rehearsal dinner! And the City Hall place looks pretty neat!!
We were lucky to have my in-laws pay for the rehearsal dinner, and because our parents all wanted to see their out of town guests, we basically had a 2nd wedding. It was fun to see everyone, but I can see how that would get annoying.
Isn’t inviting all OOT guests to the rehearsal a fairly new thing anyway? I think your drinks idea sounds like a fun, low-key way for everyone to get together and mingle.
In my experience, I’ve noticed that people seem to enjoy cocktails and conversation much more than a sit down dinner. It’s a lot more relaxed, and gives people an opportunity to catch up.
That place looks really neat! What a great idea 
I’m having a DW and only a MOH. On top of it we don’t get a rehearsal before the big day. So we opted to have everyone meet up at a Mai Tai bar the night before instead of having a dinner. I think it will be a great way to unwind before the wedding.
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Mrs. Swan, New York City Age and Occupation: 31, Legislative Representative Fiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Finance Guy Engagement Date: August 9, 2008 Wedding Date: August 2009 Venue: Battery Gardens About Me: I am an un-crafty but resourceful, Caribbean-born but New York-raised woman who's been known to analyze "Dancing with the Stars" and “So You Think You Can Dance”, buy stinky cheese, and use way too many parentheses. I keep lists for fun, am constantly daydreaming of my next international travel adventure (four continents down, three to go), debating sports (let’s Got Mets/Giants!) and dancing around my apartment to stay sane. I am excited to share our wedding planning journey as I hope to plan a streamlined, personal, and fun wedding with the greatest life partner I could ever imagine, Mr. Swan.
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