Wedding Blog: The Elegant BBQ Wedding Rehearsal

The big day will be elegant, formal and, no doubt, a little overwhelming. With so many get-togethers with family and out-of-town guests, all this planning can take a lot of energy before the big day even arrives. Of course you want everything as beautiful and impressive as possible but that doesn’t mean you have to throw a wedding-style event for every wedding-related event.

One place where you can have a little fun and give everyone a chance to relax is the wedding rehearsal dinner. This is a perfect opportunity for families to meet and for people in the wedding and out-of town guests to acquaint themselves with one another before the Big Day.

A great way to achieve this is in a laid-back but still elegant BBQ! Some people might think a BBQ isn't the right event to precede a formal event, such as a wedding, but you can create a very elegant, classy, and informal atmosphere in an outdoor setting, even in someone’s backyard. All it takes is décor, delicious food, and creativity.

The venue

Transforming someone’s backyard into a modern and sophisticated venue can be achieved with just a few décor props. If there's a pool in the backyard, even better! A free backyard and a pool is a great option, but you can also try a gorgeous park space. Inquire about renting out a park area or look for park spaces that are reserved for parties. Most will allow you a lot of room and stunning scenery. Make sure, also, that you're allowed to bring a BBQ grill to cook your food or ask if a grill is located at your site.

The Invitations

Once you've decided on the venue, you can determine the amount of people you can invite. You can include an insert card with your wedding invitation to those who are invited, or use recycled cardstock to create the BBQ feel and save some money. Ordering simple one-page cards online is also an inexpensive option.

Décor

Because you want to keep a clean and sophisticated look, stay away from common backyard/outdoor décor, such as plastic string lights and go for a modern and stylish look. Stainless steel and metals, such as metal torch-lights, will give you that amazing mood lighting for when the sun is setting. Planters filled with beautiful flowers or lush greenery will also add to a chic ambiance.

For furniture, stay away from cheap plastic tables and chairs. Save costs by borrowing chairs from neighbors and friends and cover tables with a neutral cloth. Stay away from plastic white utensils and buy some inexpensive metal flatware, which cost under $50 for a complete 100-piece set. Extend this thinking to condiment containers, like salt and pepper shakers, and absolutely no tacky yellow and red plastic squeeze bottles for ketchup and mustard!

Food

What to eat? Variety is important, as well as not serving just plain hamburgers and hot dogs with condiments. Take it up a notch and serve really amazing finger food appetizers along with your traditional BBQ fare of hamburgers and hot dogs, but make it gourmet! Many online sources will offer fancy burger recipes using spectacular ingredients that transform a regular beef patty into a gourmet treat. Burgers made with blue cheese or exotic spices and served with black beans, jalapenos, and cayenne pepper give a plain burger a great kick. Pair with a fantastic red wine and a salad of fresh greens, fruit, and toasted nuts. For the vegetarians, offer grilled eggplant with garlic olive oil and hearty Portobello burgers.

And no BBQ is complete without satisfying the sweet tooth. Fruit may just be the light finish you need for your BBQ feast, but don’t just serve up a fruit salad. Cube some fruit and make kebabs marinated in citrus juice (orange or grapefruit) and honey, which will give it that gorgeous glaze after it has been on the grill for a few minutes. For those guests who crave a richer dessert, bananas foster, ice cream, or chocolate-dipped fruit and cookies will do the trick.

And, very important, don't forget the drinks! Daytime calls for refreshing fruit smoothies, sparkling mimosas, and brisk iced teas and coffees. When the sun sets, it’s time for the cocktails! Punch made with sparkling white wine, rose wines, and martinis made with fruit liqueurs, such as Grand Marnier, garnished with fruit, and ice cold beer are great bar offerings. When the night starts winding down, end it with a great show and nightcap at the same time. Specialty alcoholic coffee drinks lit with fire, like coffee with brandy, flavoured with cinnamon, chocolate, or cloves will really impress guests.

These simple tips can help you create a great modern and elegant BBQ wedding rehearsal and make it look like much more work than it actually was, without breaking the bank.

Written by Rita Wong, Rita Wong Events http://www.ritawongevents.com

Rita Wong is a wedding and events planner and owner of Rita Wong Events. Based in Montreal, Rita also plans many weddings every year for brides living in Toronto and abroad. She is a dedicated follower of new trends and her goal is to give each bride a wedding that is fresh, unique, and a personal reflection of who they are. She now shares her professional insights with slice.ca.

Read all of Rita's blogs on slice.ca! 

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