About Cardiff
Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, is known for its fascinating history, sporting events, epic nightlife and stunning scenery. Did you know that Cardiff has more castles per square mile than any country in Europe? So if you’re a history lover, you will absolutely love Cardiff!
Cardiff is the perfect place to host a rehearsal dinner. The city has great transport links and several spacious and elegant venues which are well-suited for a rehearsal dinner. In this guide, we will help you plan an enjoyable rehearsal dinner that you and your guests will remember for years to come.
Rehearsal Dinner Venues Options in Cardiff
Planning a rehearsal dinner is likely to be a stressful experience if you’ve never done it before. However, you can ease the burden by hiring several experts to help you, such as a caterer, a furniture hire company and an entertainer to keep your guests engaged.
- Furniture Hire
Picture this: you have found the perfect venue, but it is lacking one thing, suitable furniture. It may have some tables, chairs and sofas, but it doesn’t have everything you need. Don’t worry! You don’t need to find a new venue. Instead, you can hire the furniture you need for the evening from a furniture hire company. Thankfully, there are several local and national furniture hire companies that would be more than happy to help you!
- Catering
The most important aspect of the rehearsal dinner, at least for your guests, is the food. As a result, you should hire a reputable caterer with plenty of experience in the industry. But remember that they don’t necessarily have to create a luxurious three-course meal. More couples are opting for nontraditional meal options such as buffets, BBQs and hog roasts. Your guests will be happy as long as the food is of great quality! The good news is that Cardiff is home to several extremely talented caterers who would be delighted to create dishes for your rehearsal dinner.
- Entertainment
Turn your rehearsal dinner into a full-blown party by hiring an entertainer. There are plenty of different entertainers to choose from, including but not limited to singers, live bands, circus acts, comedians and even balloon artists. An entertainer will get your guests into the party spirit!
Rehearsal Dinner Venue Vendors in Cardiff
- Wow Event Hire
If you find that your venue doesn’t possess the furniture you need, contact Wow Event Hire. The company has a wide range of party furniture available to hire, including chairs, tables, sofas, bars, lighting, draping, backdrops, marquees, gazebos, party tents, dance floors, table centrepieces, chair covers and much more. Whatever you need, Wow Event Hire likely has it!
- Classic Food Caterers
Cardiff-based catering company Classic Food Caterers create traditional and unique food for a variety of events, including weddings, parties and corporate events. The company offers a range of delicious menus suitable for all occasions, including canape platters, bowl food, classic sit-down menus, pie and chips, vegetarian sit-down meals, cheese wedding cakes, Italian grazing tables, Welsh grazing tables, hampers, buffet tables and much, much more. You are completely spoiled for choice in terms of food options!
- Last Minute Musicians
If you’re struggling to find a suitable musician to entertain your rehearsal dinner guests, visit the Last Minute Musicians website. There, you’ll find dozens of available entertainers in your area, including DJs, karaoke hire, caricaturists, mimes and much more! Once you find an entertainer that you like, simply send them an enquiry message to see if they are available to attend your rehearsal dinner and work out the logistics from there! Even if an entertainer is not based in the Cardiff area, many are willing to travel considerable distances to work events, so you have plenty of entertainers to choose from.
Pros and Cons of Rehearsal Dinner Venues in Cardiff
Advantages
- Nightlife
Cardiff has a brilliant nightlife scene. So if you’re in the mood to party once the rehearsal dinner comes to an end, why not head out into town for a few more drinks? Just make sure you're still able to get your rest before your big day!
- Hotels
If you’ve got family and friends travelling to your rehearsal dinner from out of town, they will need to find somewhere suitable to stay. The good news is that Cardiff has many excellent hotels to suit any budget!
Disadvantages
- Lack of venue choice
Cardiff is a small city compared to others in the UK. As a result, it doesn’t have as many choices regarding venues as other major cities. However, there are still several excellent venues for you to pick from.
- Expense
Good rehearsal dinner venues are costly. However, it really does pay to hire a highly rated venue. The last thing you want is to hire a cheap but subpar venue that dampens the party spirit.
Famous Locations in Cardiff
- National Museum Cardiff
National Museum Cardiff is a must-visit! Located next to Cathays Park, the museum houses a large collection of art, natural history and the Evolution of Wales Galleries. Current exhibitions and events include LATES, an event where adults can dress up, unleash their creativity and experience a truly immersive night at the National Museum. Other exhibitions include The Rules of Art? which explores over five hundred years of drawing, painting, sculptures, film, photography and ceramics and how these artistic pieces influence representation, culture and identity. So if you’re a history and art fan, don’t miss the opportunity to explore the magnificent National Museum Cardiff.
- Taff Trail
If you consider yourself a hiking enthusiast, why not hike the Taff Trail? The trail covers over 50 miles and starts at Roald Dahl Plass in Cardiff Bay and ends in the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park. The trail cannot be completed in one day, but the portion of the trail that goes through the city is easily walkable in a couple of hours. Just make sure to bring suitable walking shoes and a raincoat just in case the heavens decide to open! Wales does experience more than its fair share of rain, after all.