Reception Timeline?

[mspattemac]

This is how our timeline should go.

 

Guest arrive starting at 6pm.

Since we were married in Hawaii, we hired some hula dancers to perform while people are eating and mingling from 615 to 645.

At 645 we will cut the cake and play the video or our trip to Hawaii.

The DJ will start at 7.

We aren't going to have any toasts or first dances.

[deniden]

Here is my current timeline, looking for opinions!

 

1. 4pm - Ceremony - 30mins.
2. 4:30pm - Cocktail reception - should we do the Champagne Toast here?
3. 5:30pm - Reception Start

• Bridal Party entrance, then Bride & Groom
• Couple's first Dance
• Father and Daughter Dance
• Mother and Son Dance
• Cake cutting - want to do this early, so as to not interrupt the party later & before everyone gets too tipsy!
• Dinner Blessing
• Dinner reception - First course, then BM & MOH speeches, While serving dessert - Bride & Groom Thank you Speech (serve the dessert included in package along with wedding cake)
• Dance time

 

We aren't doing the garter/bouquet thing.

[LovesJakeyPoo]

this is so helpful!

[canadiangirl]

thanx for the info, and help this is great!!

Originally Posted by Sparkles8300 

-4pm ceremony start time. Vows, sand ceremony, sign license.
-4:30pm champagne toast after the ceremony
-4:40pm-5pm pictures with family, bridal party and group
- 5pm-6pm cocktail hour --guests mingle & sign the guest book while we take pics
-6pm everyone gets seated
-6:10pm intro of bridal party
-intro of bride and groom
-first course is served
-toasts from MOH and GM
-main course is served
-first dance
-dancing begins (30 mins)
-Cake cutting
-Bride and Groom thanks speeches
-Fire Dancer Show (10/15 mins)
- father/daughter, mother/son
- dance with garter & bouquet toss sometime in the middle of the dance timeline (around 9:30pm garter toss)
-9:45pm last dance
-DJ invites everyone out to wish us goodbye (sparklers!)

 

[JayKay]

I am getting married at 4pm so this will be really handy, thanks so much for sharing!

 

Originally Posted by deniden 

Here is my current timeline, looking for opinions!

 

1. 4pm - Ceremony - 30mins.
2. 4:30pm - Cocktail reception - should we do the Champagne Toast here?
3. 5:30pm - Reception Start

• Bridal Party entrance, then Bride & Groom
• Couple's first Dance
• Father and Daughter Dance
• Mother and Son Dance
• Cake cutting - want to do this early, so as to not interrupt the party later & before everyone gets too tipsy!
• Dinner Blessing
• Dinner reception - First course, then BM & MOH speeches, While serving dessert - Bride & Groom Thank you Speech (serve the dessert included in package along with wedding cake)
• Dance time

 

We aren't doing the garter/bouquet thing.

 

[Aruba Bride]

My wedding is supposed to start at 5:30 and then the reception starts at 6:00pm and ends at 10:00. I am worried that there wont be much time to relax and have fun since there will only be 3 hours to eat our meal (doing 3 course instead of buffet) cut the cake do the dances...not to mention the pictures after the wedding. I want our guests to be able to enjoy themselves and not feel rushed through everything. I'm thinking about having a cocktail hour from 6-7 so we can get the pictures in and have time to get settled at the reception area before the dinner and dancing gets started. Do y'all think pushing things back and hour would be a good idea or should I just skip the cocktail hour and just add an hour to the reception itself?

[deniden]

 

 

Originally Posted by Aruba Bride 

 

My wedding is supposed to start at 5:30 and then the reception starts at 6:00pm and ends at 10:00. I am worried that there wont be much time to relax and have fun since there will only be 3 hours to eat our meal (doing 3 course instead of buffet) cut the cake do the dances...not to mention the pictures after the wedding. I want our guests to be able to enjoy themselves and not feel rushed through everything. I'm thinking about having a cocktail hour from 6-7 so we can get the pictures in and have time to get settled at the reception area before the dinner and dancing gets started. Do y'all think pushing things back and hour would be a good idea or should I just skip the cocktail hour and just add an hour to the reception itself?

 

 

We are doing a cocktail hour - I figured it would give us an hour to get pictures done, and to switch people from ceremony mode to reception/party mode. We plan on doing all of the dances and the cake cutting BEFORE dinner - that way, we can get through dinner and it can just be party time!

 

 

[IslandBride201x]

This has been so helpful!  There are so many things to think about and make sure to leave time for.

[jmastr05]

I had my wedding in Aruba. They recommended (and we followed) the below time line. Because Aruba is hot and windy, they arrange all of the photographed moments first, so that your hair and makeup is as fresh as possible. I thought that was some good food for thought for anyone having a DW in a warm location.

 

6:15 Guests arrive

6:30 Ceremony starts

6:50 Ceremony ends, pictures at sunset starts

7:15 Guests move to reception site

7:20 Wedding party make their entrance to the reception, first dance, dances with parents, cake cutting (all one after the other)

8:00 Buffet opens

8:30 Speeches (everyone had food at this point)

 

Then after the speeches it was just music and dancing. At some point the dessert plates were served to each guest's spot at the tables, but I was too busy dancing to note the time. The bouquet garter toss were the third to last and second to last songs.

 

11:00 End of reception

 

I liked having all the dancing in 1 time block. Without the interruptions of the various courses and speeches, the party vibe really built up and everyone got into it!

 

[Aruba Bride]

Thanks for the information deniden and jmastr. I have decided to have a cocktail hour before the reception and have our pictures taken during the cocktail hour. Although we aren't really traditional on most things I really wanted to do the whole not see each other thing until I am walking down the ailse. Our photographer is going to be taking us all around the island the day after the wedding for more pictures so I will be able to get shots looking "fresh" then!!

 

This is how our wedding should go...

 

5:30 - Ceremony

6:00- Cocktail Hour

7:00 - Reception -  We are also going to do the first dance parent dances cake cutting in the very beginning so that after dinner we can just dance the night away!!