At a wedding, two worlds merge, two roads become one. Not only the bride and the groom become a single organism when they say their vows to each other; the couple's families also become connected. But they have not always managed to establish a close relationship until the wedding. This is where the pre-wedding dinner, or rehearsal dinner , popular abroad, comes to the rescue, which can become a warm warm-up for the big day.

Although the couple may have known each other for a long time, it may be the first opportunity for their families to get to know each other better. The main purpose of the informal atmosphere of the pre-wedding dinner is to unite the closest people of the couple and get into the festive mood. The get-together evening helps to build warmer relations between the couple's parents and loved ones, reduce stress before the big day, remind that everyone is on the same team - supportive and participating - and allow practical matters and wedding nuances to be discussed calmly and leisurely. It is a time to spend quality time with your loved ones, because it is known that the wedding day is usually quite intense, and all the guests will show attention to the couple. For the bride and groom, this is also an opportunity to conclude the wedding planning stage and to thank everyone who supported them with their emotional support or a helping hand in planning the wedding. This moment is like a bridge between the busy stage of wedding planning and being able to truly enjoy the wedding day.

Ideas for a warm gathering evening

• Themed dinner

The theme of the dinner will provide a uniform mood and substance for the first conversations, be it a tasting of excellent wines, a champagne evening, an oyster bar, Latvian country tastes, a barbecue evening in the garden.

• Story night

Ask each member of the family to remember and share some positively interesting story about the bride or groom - joint laughter is a relaxing element and will also remove tension about the upcoming wedding day.

• Games as ice breakers

Simple but fun activities - such as thematic games "Who knows the couple better?", "Memory bingo" or a family quiz will help you get to know each other in an informal atmosphere - fun, free and unifying at the same time. Also get prizes to fight for: https://ligavam.lv/internetveikals

• Cooking together

Working together, as long as it's to your liking, tends to both unify and naturally spark conversation. Organize cooking soup over a campfire or baking pies together. You can also introduce each other's family to inherited Omis recipes, which are indispensable for family celebrations. In a more modernized version, it can be a bar of homemade cocktails with elegant snacks.

• Memory album

Prepare a stack of childhood and early youth photos from both families. Not only passionate conversations will arise, but also thrilling emotions. It is also an opportunity for families to get closer.

• Tree planting

A symbolic and valuable activity – a jointly planted tree, for example an oak or an apple tree, which symbolizes the union of the two families. Later, it can become a place to celebrate wedding anniversaries.

• Singing evening

If your families are musical and you know how to play musical instruments, the evening can become a celebration of family songs. Singing liberates, creates positive emotions and unites.

• Walk with tasks

For lovers of more active activities, hiking and outdoor activities will be a really exciting gathering event, after moving your legs and breathing fresh air, sitting at a common picnic table. And what is more able to release and give energy before important moments than nature!

• Story night by the fire

In a rural environment or even in a city garden - by the fire with tea, blankets and lamps, you can share not only your dating story and important moments, but also pamper your parents to share their special stories, and who knows - maybe there are also stories from the youth days of grandmothers and grandfathers in the storehouse of memories.

• Open air cinema

You can end the dinner with a romantic or fun open-air cinema, which you can enjoy while curled up in warm blankets with a glass of cocktails in an apple garden lit by lamps.

• Yacht trip

A great opportunity to enjoy being together elegantly and clear your head, both literally and figuratively.

• SPA and peaceful relaxation

The place where you hold a reunion dinner can also become a place to spend the night before the wedding, where you can catch your breath, recharge your energy and be ready for the most unique day in your life. And why not give this vacation to your parents and closest friends as well, spending the evening together in a house full of charming atmosphere, enjoying a delicious dinner by candlelight and walks along the sea?

If the wedding is near Pāvilosta, an excellent choice is Otto Hotel & Sun, which is only one hundred meters from the Baltic Sea beach. In the sun and pool area, there is the first solar lamp in Latvia, which filters UV-A and UV-B rays in a healthy way, giving you the opportunity to get a healthy tan and recharge your skin with vitamin D, and then swim in the pool or warm up in the black sauna.

Relaxation and celebration house Kalna Griezes Krimulda has exactly what you are looking for on a romantic and warm summer evening with your loved ones - an old apple orchard, a projector to conjure up an outdoor cinema, a traditional country sauna from which you can jump straight into the pond, and the opportunity for everyone to bake pizza together in an authentic in the oven, as well as spending the night in complete peace and quiet.

Holiday homes Kukūzes Babīte county is within arm's reach of the capital, yet with the charm of rural peace - overnight stays are available in comfortable cabins, and evening refreshments are available in well-equipped swimming areas. Each cabin has a cozy terrace with a grill and a view of the pond in the forest, where you can enjoy being together and having your morning coffee.

Villa Sources Sigulda will be a real refreshment for the couple's families before the big event. The villa offers five unique rooms, from romance with jacuzzi to private swimming pool and cast iron sauna. The guest house has a terrace with a sauna, a pool by the lake, a grill area and a gazebo.

5 Key Elements for a Pre-Wedding Gathering:

1. Include only the closest people, thus maintaining an intimate atmosphere.
2. Informal atmosphere. Choose a place where everyone feels free - a backyard garden, a country house, a restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere, a yacht.
3. Leisurely rhythm. Saturated emotions and events will be enjoyed the next day - at the wedding. The main idea of ​​the reunion evening is: together, here and now, in presence.
4. A short speech of thanks. An opportunity for the couple to thank their closest relatives for their involvement and support during the wedding planning stage and in life so far, which led to meeting their loved one.
5. Take care of comfort. Let everyone feel comfortable, free, well-fed and unburdened.

Article author: Ieva Simanovića