Seven Gables Inn Rehearsal Dinner

Why You Should Consider Wedding Rehearsal Coverage: A Photographer’s Perspective

Recently, I had the pleasure of photographing Kiran and Ben’s Seven Gables Inn rehearsal dinner, a charming boutique hotel nestled in the heart of St. Louis. Their rehearsal dinner was a warm, joyous evening filled with laughter and a fantastic dinner before their celebration the next day.

As a St. Louis wedding photographer, I always encourage my couples to consider adding rehearsal dinner coverage to their wedding photography package. While the wedding day itself is the main event, the rehearsal dinner is an intimate, emotional, and incredibly special part of the celebration. It’s a time when close family and friends get together to celebrate, toasts are shared, and you can feel the anticipation from all those closest to the couple.

The Benefits of Wedding Rehearsal Coverage

1. Candid, Emotional Moments — Rehearsal dinners are filled with deeply personal toasts and stories that might not make it to the wedding reception. Photographing rehearsal dinners provides the opportunity to capture those candids —like a father’s heartfelt speech or a best friend’s hilarious and inappropriate childhood story.

2. A Chance to Capture Your Inner Circle — Unlike the wedding day, which can be fast-paced and filled with a lot of traditions, the rehearsal dinner is a relaxed setting where you can truly connect with your closest friends and family. And as a photographer, this also helps me learn who is most important to you, which is so helpful on the wedding day! This establishes trust within your inner circle, which helps me document those relationships in a way that feels organic and unposed.

3. More Storytelling for Your Wedding Gallery

As for Ben and Kiran, including their Seven Gables Inn rehearsal dinner photos to their final gallery enhances the storytelling of their wedding weekend. These images provide context and add another layer to their best weekend, which I know will be even more meaningful to them years from now.

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Kiran and Ben’s Beautiful Seven Gables Inn Rehearsal Dinner

Kiran and Ben’s Seven Gables Inn rehearsal dinner was such a great evening for me to be apart of. The historic charm of the venue, combined with its warm ambiance and cozy courtyard, created the perfect setting for their pre-wedding celebration.

Their evening was filled with laughter, friendship, and moments that I was honored to capture—like the couple’s beaming smiles as they went around to each table visiting with their favorite people!

Vendor Team:
Planning: Altar’d Events
Florist: Belli Fiori

Should You Add Rehearsal Dinner Coverage?

If you’re on the fence about adding rehearsal coverage to your photography collection, I think framing what moments you’ll most love in 30 years will be helpful. If you want a full, rich story of your wedding experience—not just the wedding day—having your photographer capture your rehearsal dinner, whether at Seven Gables Inn or elsewhere, is so worth it! I wish I had a photographer at my wedding rehearsal dinner personally!

For couples who value storytelling, connection, and candids, rehearsal dinner coverage is a beautiful addition that ensures no part of your wedding weekend is missed. If you’re planning your wedding in St. Louis and want to learn more about adding wedding and rehearsal dinner coverage, I’d love to chat!