The Best Local Spots for Rehearsal Dinners

Months, sometimes years, of planning to into wedding day. All the décor decisions, gown fittings, vendor meetings, month-out walkthroughs – for many couples who are planning weddings, their free time fills up with appointments to prepare for wedding day. One of the most important parts of planning is ensuring your wedding party is prepared for their job on the big day by rehearsing. Traditionally, rehearsals happen the day before the wedding. Coordinators will show bridesmaids and groomsmen where to stand, how to walk, in what order to line up, how to carry their bouquets, and more. Most rehearsals take about an hour and are followed by a rehearsal dinner. Rehearsal dinners allow the special couple to honor their wedding day MVPs, friends, family and guests from out of town. We like to think of it as the kickoff to a weekend-long celebration!

According to tradition, the Groom’s parents plan and pay for the rehearsal dinner. With many of our couples traveling from out of town to get married at Oakland Farm, we often share recommendations on local restaurants and venues for rehearsal dinners. Since we get this question often, we thought creating a blog post about our favorite local spots would be a great resource for all of our wedding venue’s couples!

Café 121 – Chef Hamm is the man behind several restaurants in both Sanford and Raleigh. With years of experience creating gourmet experiences for clients, his Sanford restaurant, Café 121, has a private room perfect for rehearsal dinners. Not only will he impress guests with an incredible meal and top-notch service, but his catering services also include tables, linens, and more to perfect the look of your rehearsal dinner. Looking for something to do after dinner? Walk just down the block to his popular local hangout, Libations 139, for a night cap!

Gigi’s Creations – Gigi is no stranger to Oakland Farm. She’s catering events at our venue at least once a month. Recently, she opened a brand new venue that specializes in events like showers and rehearsal dinners! This historic spot in the old Sanford Town Hall building is a beautiful place to kickoff wedding celebrations. She can help you create a custom menu for your rehearsal dinner and offers linens, glassware, china and silverware rentals along with her catering services. Her spot is only steps away from Downtown Sanford’s local bars and boutiques!

The Flame Steakhouse – Wanting to serve a yummy steak entrée for dinner? The Flame Steakhouse is a favorite for many locals. A private room, ample parking and delicious food makes the Flame a popular spot for many couples tying the knot at Oakland Farm.

Davison’s Steaks – Another great steakhouse option with a private room is Davison’s Steaks. Plus, we love their salad bar and intimate setting for celebrating the night before your wedding!

All of our clients have the option to rehearse for their wedding day on-site. The time for rehearsals depends on our event schedule. Some rehearse in the morning the day prior to their event, others in the evening, and some clients even rehearse off-site! Looking to put a unique spin on a rehearsal dinner? Try hosting a rehearsal brunch or lunch! Who wouldn’t want mimosas and brunch foods after practicing for the big day?!

Depending on availability, you can also host your rehearsal dinner at Oakland Farm! We have overnight packages that provide access to the venue for two days, and some of your bridal party can stay overnight in our Farmhouse! As you approach wedding day, if the venue isn’t rented the day prior to your event, we can also add on rehearsal dinner packages. For more information, reach out to our Venue Manager for details on this option!