If you’re hosting a barn wedding or just want to introduce a little outdoorsy flair, have your rehearsal dinner lean into a Western aesthetic. “This theme works just as beautifully in an adobe courtyard in New Mexico or Santa Barbara as it does in a field in Idaho or traditional Midwestern barn,” shares Blasena. “Décor-wise, incorporate plaid through blankets, napkins, or runners, as well as leather accents and raw wood through furnishings and paper goods. Add a round wooden bar serving cowboy-inspired cocktails, with custom napkins printed in Western motifs. Single product florals in pops of cobalt blue, plaid linens, and wood and leather chairs add Western details that avoid kitsch.”
9. Picnic Party
Photo: Nicole Plett
If you want your rehearsal dinner to have a charming, laid-back feel, consider hosting a picnic outdoors. Long wooden tables adorned with florals and linens, along with breakout lounge areas and blankets on the ground, will create a fun high-low moment for this kind of fête. “It lowers the pressure and encourages guests to relax, mingle, and enjoy the surroundings—perfect for daytime or early evening events in the summer, where evenings are long and warm,” describes Blasena. Consider light palettes in tones of sage, soft blue, or butter yellow, and placing out chic umbrellas to create shade for your guests. “Wildflowers in casual arrangements and collected vases add a gathered feel, while gingham, stripes, and scalloped china create a casual but pretty look for place settings,” notes Blasena. “Add wicker baskets, picnic hampers, and galvanized metal accents like tin frames for bar signage.”
10. Tropical Retreat
Photo: Kristen Marie Parker