Rehearsal dinners set the stage for the rest of any wedding weekend.

For many, it's the first wedding-related event they'll attend. It brings people together for the first time. Your rehearsal dinner should be a special experience, even if it's just one of many to come over the next couple days. If you're looking for a venue that's different than most, we have some ideas to get you started.

Beiger Mansion

An elegant setting and one of the most unique venues in Mishawaka, the Beiger Mansion can accommodate dinners for 130 or cocktail parties for 175 all year. And, of course, rehearsal dinners fit right in that mix. Summertime opens up the veranda and pool area. The mansion can hold anything from small business lunches to beautiful weddings.

Industrial vibes

Industrial spaces have been a trend for years now. It just so happens there are a couple near each other in South Bend, both nestled against the St. Joseph River.

The Brick is a renovated warehouse space with an open floor plan, exposed brick and a large outdoor patio. The Armory, which opened in 2017, is a similar venue on a larger scale. It can comfortably seat 400 guests in a hardwood-and-brick ballroom that used to be a gymnasium. It’s also on the river. Ironhand Vineyard’s wine bar is in the same building.

Morris Performing Arts Center

This historic downtown South Bend theater isn’t just home to touring productions and concerts. It can be utilized in a variety of ways. The lobby boasts ornate molding and chandeliers and The Granada, a downtown cocktail space, could be a swanky venue for a rehearsal dinner.

Private Dining Options

Some of our marquee restaurants offer cozy private dining spaces for groups. Tapastrie in downtown South Bend has a wine cellar in the basement that seats up to 49 guests. Copper Rock Steakhouse at Four Winds Casino has multiple private dining options. Same goes for Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Mishawaka and Café Navarre in downtown South Bend, among others.

Sporting Spots 

Two of our top sports venues can double as outside-the-box rehearsal dinner spots.

Invite your group to any of the event spaces VenueND provides inside Notre Dame Stadium (one pictured above), one of the historic venues in all of sports. That includes right on the field itself. Four Winds Field, home of the South Bend Cubs, boasts some unique space of its own. One in particular stands out: United Federal Credit Union Rooftop, which offers sweeping views of the stadium and South Bend.

Studebaker National Museum

Enjoy a meal and good company while visiting among vintage automobiles at Studebaker National Museum, one of The Bend’s top attractions. The atrium offers plenty of open space for mingling. The museum’s ambiance is truly one-of-a-kind, especially for car enthusiasts.

Tippecanoe Place Restaurant

Once owned as a mansion by the legendary Studebaker family, Tippecanoe Place is an embodiment of South Bend’s history. You can soak in this environment inside or set up a tent and enjoy dinner on the grounds. It’s a quintessential South Bend experience.

The Vault

Some may not know this venue since it serves, essentially, as a backroom to The Exchange Whiskey Bar in downtown South Bend. The Vault is named as such because it’s in an old bank building and, in fact, prominently features an old vault within the space.