Your wedding reception is one of the most significant parts of your wedding night, and it is what the guests are going to enjoy most. They are going to dance, mingle, eat good food, and take fun pictures. But for the couple, the wedding reception can be a bit scary, because they want it to run completely perfectly and smoothly. That is where coming a set timeline comes into pace! To help you out, we have prepared a sample wedding reception timeline and some other helpful tips to get the party started.
Guests Move into Cocktail Hour (1 Hour)
Use the time when your guests are mingling with each other after the ceremony to take some good, formal family photos. The bride and groom are usually not able to attend the cocktail hour, but it’s a nice time for your guests to relax and enjoy some drinks before they go into the main reception.
Guests Are Seated in Reception Hall (20 Minutes)
Your wedding coordinator and/or DJ are going to get all of your guests rounded up and seated in the reception hall. So that they are ready for the party to start. They will help your guests can find their seats if that is necessary, and all of the special announcements are going to be given during this time.
Bride and Groom Grand Entrance (5-10 Minutes)
This is the time for the couple to be introduced and celebrates being introduced. You should pick your favorite party song and strut your stuff!
First Dance (5-10 Minutes)
After you have made your amazing grand entrance, all eyes are going to be on you, and it is a perfect time to go straight into your first dance as a married couple.
Dinner is Being Served (1 Hour)
Make sure you grab some food and enjoy the wedding meal you selected! If you want and feel like it, you can also make rounds and greet your guests before your return to your table for the toasts.
Toasts (30 Minutes)
While your quests are finishing up their meal, you should have all the toasts. A good rule of thumb is to with the Best Man and Maid of Honor toasts, and anyone else you have asked to toast can come after them.
Dancing (30-45 Minutes)
This is the part that the quests like the most. You should start the dancing session with an upbeat song that will get everyone in the room moving. Add some slow jams in between bursts of high energy songs.
Cake Cutting (1 hour)
The cake cutting ceremony is going to let your guests know that the party is coming to an end, and it should be done about an hour before the end of the reception. After the bride and groom cut their pieces of cake, DJ should lay some slow songs while your guests enjoy their dessert.