Anyone can help with timeline of reception?

Question

I am starting the reception at 6pm. I was going to have cake cutting at 6:30 then things to follow. Any suggestions on the flow after that? We are having a buffet dinner with guests around 250 peoples. Any help would be great!!

Answer 1

with 250 guests you will want to make sure you time things really well adding a few minutes each section for people moving and gathering.

at 6.00 you should be announced and start your buffet line followed by the bridal party, family the guests.

at 7.00 or when the last of the guests have almost finished their meal, and before you loose their interest, do your toasts. then cut you cake.

that should take you to about 7.30 when you should start your first dance, then family dances while the cake is being served.

traditionally the bouquet and garter is thrown as the couple leaves for thier honeymoon but many now do that after the family dances so they can get photos and video...

Alternatively, some brides choose to do the first dance on entering the reception before they sit for dinner....

Answer 2

You don't have the cake cutting that early in the reception.  That is way too early.  The reception starts at six so when are you going to have dinner? After the cake? No, no, no.  Usually the first hour is the cocktail hour then the bridal party and bride and groom and their parents are introduced.  Then the bride and groom and then the bridal party dance first and then you dance for a little while and then it is the father daughter and then mother son dances.  After that it is time for dinner.  After dinner there is lots of dancing.  Usually the cake isn't for a few hours after the reception has started.  Usually the reception is five hours.  After the cake you throw the garter and bouquet.  About an hour before you should go around to the tables and thank all your guests for coming and then they will give you your envelopes.  Don't stand there at the end of the night and wait for your guests to come up to you.  They came to your wedding so you should be thanking them individually.  Congratulations and enjoy your very special day.

Answer 3

You're gonna have dessert before dinner?

Holy moly a buffet dinner with 250 guests!! Wow! That can get crazy! My reception site did the catering and the sit down dinner was only slightly more expensive, like a  few dollars a guest if I remember correctly since they have to order a lot of food anyway.

How come someone that works at the reception site isn't giving you your information about a time table? They should.

Anyway, we were introduced as husband and wife after the wedding party was introduced. From there we went right into our first dance. After that we sat down and our soup and salads came out. We did a toast and then we ate dinner.

Then we all danced for a bit and then had dessert where we cut the cake.

Answer 4

Cake cutting usually follows dinner (unless there's another reason to have it so early?  It'll take longer than 30 minutes for guests to eat, etc.).  Normal flow of a reception is:

Wedding party, bride/groom entrance

First dance

Other special dances (bride/father, groom/mother)

Dinner served

Toasts

Cake cutting

Bouquet/garter toss

Party into the night!

Answer 5

5 p.m. Cocktails

6 p.m. Dinner and program (the wedding party arrives shortly before dinner begins, giving you time to get photos done after the ceremony)

around 8 - cake cutting

around 8:30 first dance, parent dances, etc. then open dance

around 10:30 - bouquet/garter toss just before having late lunch

- dancing resumes, til your closing time

Answer 6

You are cutting the cake before you serve dinner? I've never heard of that...

Here is how the timeline usually goes for a reception:

-Cocktail Hour

-Introduction of Bridal Party

-Introduction of Bride and Groom

-Salads

-During salads the best man/maid of honor does a toast

-Dinner is served

-First Dance

-Father/daughter & Mother/son dance

-Bridal party dance

-Dancing for all the guests

-Cake cutting

-Cake served/more dancing

-Bouquet toss

-Garter Toss

-Last dance of the evening

That is how most receptions go. I don't know if I would cut the cake so early in the reception. You might want to save that until after dinner. But, it's up to you - you can do things however you would like; this was the way that I did mine...

Answer 7

Usually the cake is cut after dinner about 8 or 9 o'clock.  If you are having a buffet for 250 people it would be a good idea if the DJ announced dinner and called individual table numbers to go up to the buffet line.  This way you won't have everyone jammed up there at one time.  

Also, are you having a bouquet and garter toss?  You might want to work that in before cake cutting.

Don't forget toasting and the bridal party entrance if you are having one.