Who is usually invited to the rehearsal dinner?

The bridal party, family of the bride and groom and anyone who is traveling from out of town to attend the wedding. They may just want to honor you!

That is a little unusual.

For the most part, it's the wedding party, parents, dates or guests (of the invited guests), and maybe close relatives or friends who have traveled quite a way, or who have put in some work for the wedding (setting up, etc.) That's not ALWAYS the case, though, but those people are sometimes there.

I have a close extended family, so in the cases of most of the rehearsal dinners in our family, at LEAST grandparents have been invited. Usually, though, aunts did most of the setup and decorating of the church or reception site, so some of the larger extended family has been guests at a few of the rehearsal dinners. Typically, though, I don't think this is the case.

Usually the rehearsal dinner is for those involved in the actual ceremony - wedding party, parents, officiant, musicians (if family or friends, not hired), as well as readers and any guests that are staying with the parents of the couple. If they haven't asked you to take a role in the ceremony, I'm surprised you were invited. I think I would ask why the invite was extended in a polite manner and then make up your mind about attending.

As the others have stated, the rehearsal dinner is usually for the wedding party and close family members. While it is unusual that they would invite a distant relative, it's very kind of them to honor you with an invitation.

Usually those involved in the wedding are the ones invited to the rehearsal dinner - wedding party, parents, grandparents, readers, etc - not extended family. It is a little odd that you were invited, but maybe they just don't know who to invite. It might be a misunderstanding on their part, but if you want to go I don't see a problem with it.

Well, the usual is for the wedding party, parents, grandparents. Sometimes if there is extended family who is from out of town who will be in town during the rehersal dinner, they'll be invited as well. If you aren't from the town where the wedding is, thats probably the case. Otherwise, maybe they're just trying to be nice?

Well I am getting married July 14 of this year and our rehearsal dinner is going to be only our wedding party, parents, and the minister (which happens to be my father anyway) thats it.. but everyone is different I guess!

Usually its just the parents of the bride and groom and the bridal party that attend so they can all practice what to do on the day of the wedding.

Well, that was very nice of them! Usually it's the wedding party and their spouses, parents and grandparents of the couple, close aunts and uncles.