The rehearsal dinner is often the most relaxed night of a wedding weekend and the one guests remember most fondly. Fairfield County offers everything from waterfront homes to barns, which makes a private chef dinner a natural choice.
Six to nine months out
- Set a budget and rough guest list (immediate family, wedding party, out-of-town guests).
- Choose a format: seated dinner, family-style, raw bar plus buffet or a cocktail party.
- Pick a location, such as a family home, a rented estate or a restaurant buyout.
- Reserve your date with your caterer or private chef. Peak weekends fill early.
Three to four months out
- Meet with your chef to shape the menu around the season and your tastes.
- Collect dietary needs and allergies early.
- Confirm rentals, such as tables, linens and glassware.
- Arrange a licensed bartender if you want a bar.
One month out
- Finalize the menu and any printed menu cards.
- Confirm timing with your planner so the rehearsal and dinner flow.
- Draft a short list of toasts and who will give them.
Final week
- Send your confirmed headcount by the deadline.
- Confirm access, parking, kitchen space and power with your chef.
- Plan a rain contingency if any part of the evening is outdoors.
Format ideas that work well here
- Four-course seated dinner for 20 to 40 guests at a home or estate.
- Raw bar cocktail hour plus a family-style supper for a relaxed coastal feel.
- Chef’s table for an intimate group of 10 to 14.
Explore our private chef dinners and wedding services, or ask about our Wedding Weekend Bundle.
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