Rehearsal Dinners

Ideas & Inspiration

Bride Carina Evans invited guests to her parents’ Desert Mountain home for an intimate, personalized rehearsal dinner.

Rehearsal Dinners

With all the hustle and bustle of planning a wedding, sometimes the rehearsal dinner can fall by the wayside. Don’t let your pre-party be an afterthought. Not only can you enjoy friends and family, but the rehearsal dinner is a chance for you and your groom to be as individualistic as you wish. Why stick with a boring, stiff dinner? Let your imagination run wild. Whether your vision is luxe, simple, historic, artistic or family-oriented, there’s an option for everyone. Let the planning begin!

Ocean Prime
For a contemporary, luxurious rehearsal dinner, Ocean Prime at CityCenter of CityNorth in Phoenix is sure to meet your standards. Modeled after supper clubs from the ’40s, the restaurant offers traditional upscale dining with a contemporary twist. Outdoor patio lounges and blue-tinted flame pits make for a sexy setting, and guests can enjoy cocktails at the retro-inspired bar. With three private rooms available for parties, Ocean Prime can accommodate up to 40 guests. Menu items include crab-crusted blue tilapia, Chilean sea bass, lobster tails, ginger salmon and sea scallops.

“Ocean Prime is our favorite restaurant and the food is absolutely delicious,” says newlywed Stacey Ezrailson. “It has a cool, trendy vibe, and we liked the idea of a supper club, because it was so different from our wedding venue.”

At Home
If you’d rather do something simple and close to home, look no further than your own backyard! More and more couples are hosting their rehearsal dinners at home. Whether you prefer lunch or dinner, catered or homemade dishes, there’s something carefree and sentimental about inviting people home.

Bride Carina Evans decided to hold her rehearsal dinner at her parents’ home in Desert Mountain. “We chose that location because it has beautiful sunset views,” says Evans. “Also, many of the guests were coming from London and South Carolina, and we felt it would be nice to show them some of my parents’ Southwestern art.” A local catering company whipped up a buffet for Evans’ 65 guests.

“I would suggest picking an intimate venue for the rehearsal dinner that is in complete contrast to the wedding venue, so that guests—especially those from out of town—can have two different experiences,” Evans says.

Wrigley Mansion / Old Town Tortilla Factory
Along with beautiful sunsets and continuous sunshine, Arizona is home to many age-old buildings. The captivating Wrigley Mansion offers a historic site for a rehearsal dinner and gorgeous views of the valley.

Built in 1932 by chewing-gum tycoon William Wrigley Jr., the mansion has stunning mountain and city views. Guests can nosh on appetizers including smoked-duck pot-stickers, organic beet and goat cheese empanadas, Arizona sweet corn and diver scallop apricot gastrique.

Scottsdale’s Old Town Tortilla Factory also offers a classy, historic rehearsal dinner space with a 1,400-square-foot patio that’s heated in the winter and cooled with overhead misting in the summer.

Phoenix Art Museum
Art-lovers can share their passion by hosting their rehearsal dinner at a local art hotspot. At the Phoenix Art Museum guests can meander through nearby galleries before or after dinner, mixing and mingling, instead of being stuck at a table all night. And art always makes for a perfect conversation starter.

Four galleries are available, depending on the size of your party. Guests can enjoy cocktails before dinner under the stars in the museum’s center courtyard. Caterers recommended by the museum include Arcadia Farms, Creations in Cuisine, Fabulous Food and M Catering, but you may choose whomever you wish.

Su Vino Winery
For centuries wine has been synonymous with celebrations. What better way to toast your new beginning than with custom bottles of vino?

Su Vino Winery in Scottsdale promises a celebration tailored to your tastes. Large outdoor patios are available for seating beneath the moonlight. Guests can enjoy gourmet appetizers and desserts to complement wine selections. If you want a larger meal for your guests, catering options are available in conjunction with the winery.

Before leaving, guests can bottle their own wine to take home for the perfect souvenir; couples can choose custom labels for the bottles as an extra touch. Gift baskets and custom wine bottles and bags make perfect party favors, as well as a future anniversary wine for you and your husband.

Jester'Z Improv
If you want a rehearsal dinner filled with laughter and entertainment, a comedy club may be just what you’re looking for. Jester’Z Improv comedy troupe, located in Scottsdale, provides family-friendly humor that guests of all ages can enjoy. The troupe consists of professional actors, comedians and stand-up comics, performing in their theater or at your desired location. The audience can get in on the act by suggesting names, locations, emotions, accents and attitudes for the performers to work with.

Light snacks, such as candy, popcorn and nachos, are available, but alcohol is not allowed. The theater can seat up to 120 people and shows are 90 minutes long.  

Rawhide Western Town and Steakhouse at Wild Horse Pass
If country-western flair is what you’re after, Rawhide Western Town and Steakhouse at Wild Horse Pass will delight guests of any age. It’s a great option for couples who want a casual and fun party, and out-of-town guests are sure to enjoy the picturesque desert scenery and the authentic Old West atmosphere.

With shops, restaurants, saloons, museums, cowboy games and rides, a petting zoo, hayrides and live music, Rawhide is also an excellent option for parties with children. Menu options include mesquite-grilled steaks, baby back ribs, slow-roasted chicken, tequila-lime grilled salmon, cornbread, loaded baked potatoes and fried chicken. And don’t forget to save room for the baked crumb fruit cobbler.

Rawhide can accommodate any size party and help you plan every detail, from floral arrangements to décor recommendations. Be sure to take a black-and-white saloon-costume photo, for memories and laughs.

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