Somewhere between rising food costs and the plummeting stock market, a new chic has taken hold of the wedding industry: It has become cool to be frugal.

And that trend is manifesting itself in the way couples approach rehearsal dinners. "I just feel that with the sense of economic urgency, people have a different mindset," says Ina Spector, catering consultant at Gourmet Again in Pikesville. "Rather than blowing it on one event, they are thinking ahead and wondering, 'How much money will I be making?' I think that's on people's minds."

If the budget allows, the rehearsal dinner can be an elegant affair at a restaurant by the Inner Harbor. But it can also be a picnic.

"People have done everything from a barbecue, especially if the wedding is during the spring season, to renting out another venue in addition to the wedding day reception and having a whole course meal with wine pairings," says Jean Wade Mayer, director of business development for Rouge Fine Catering, a sister company of Poulet Gourmet.  

Remember to start early—popular restaurants and caterers book fast during busy wedding months.

Next, take into account what will be served during the reception. The rehearsal dinner should not compete with or outdo the wedding reception, but should complement it. It should also be different. "You are trying not to feed your guests the same food back to back," Mayer says. "If you are going American bistro style for your wedding, do an ethnic menu the day before."

Remember that some of the most sought-after food selections drive the price upward. "Anything that has crab, shrimp, or tenderloin I would never suggest if they want to watch their pocketbook," says Spector. "If you go to a party and they have shrimp cocktails, that's what goes first. You'll never order enough of it. If they have tenderloin, you are definitely going to be out of the tenderloin. Guests have a very good sense of the prime stuff."

Alcohol also drives the price upward. Occasionally, the host will provide the food but offer a cash bar, says Mayer. Another option is to offer beer or wine with dinner alongside a cash bar.

Couples gravitate toward restaurants near the Inner Harbor. Many have private rooms that can be booked. And the location is in walking distance to hotels and tourism venues for the out-of-town group.

Some couples host a buffet in someone's home. But it is not necessarily that much less expensive than a restaurant.

For at-home events, Spector says that her firm will send a waiter. "Our servers are $150 for the first 5 hours and $20 for each additional half hour. We'll make the arrangements. They bring the food; they set it up and they clean up."

Mayer says couples should budget $4,000 to $5,000 for a rehearsal dinner of 50 people. A less-formal dinner will probably cost $2,000 to $3,000. If family members oversee the food, it is possible to get away with $800 to $1,500. So budget at least $25 to $30 per person—$1,250 to $1,500 for 50 people—for food alone.

Rehearsal dinners have undergone a transformation over the years. At first, they were intended simply as a gathering of the players in the wedding—the couple, the bridesmaids, the parents, ushers, immediate family members, dates or spouses of all, and in some cases, the person officiating at the wedding and his or her spouse. 

Traditionally, the groom's family paid the tab. When families could afford it, out-of-town travelers were invited. The rehearsal dinner sometimes became as big as the reception.  It's still considered polite to invite out-of-town guests. But not everyone can afford it nowadays. "Most of my brides and grooms frankly don't have the money to invite out-of-town guests and their significant others," says Lisa Nelson, a bridal consultant whose business is called Elegant Event Planning and Design.

Besides, the rehearsal dinner is "not supposed to be a second wedding," she says. "You should honor the people in the wedding, the very close family members and their guests. Recognize those people."

Consider appointing someone in the family to officially end the evening—particularly if guests look as though they could stay another three hours. Often, if the parents of the groom are paying for the dinner, they tackle this responsibility. Sometimes the ball drops, though. "Girls go home and stay up later than they should. They never listen to me but I do tell them they should get a good night's sleep," Nelson says. "The next day is going to be a whirlwind and they are going to be exhausted."