Reception Timeline

KLK27

I am just curious to know what order to do things at the reception. For instance, do you let everyone eat first and then do first dances? Or, vice versa? How much time do you allow for everything? Please let me know what your tentative timeline is...I keep going back and forth on what to do with this.

Gerberlady

You can do the first dance whenever you want, I've seen people do them when you first enter the reception and also after dinner like we will be doing. It's really up to you!

jdmohle

We'll be having our first dance immediately after coming into the reception. I've been to receptions where the first dance was later in the evening and we all sat around waiting for the bride and groom to open up the dance floor. I think as long as you do your first dance early enough in the evening that you still allow plenty of time for everyone else to dance, you can schedule before or after dinner.

amycathy

I wish we had done the first dance when we entered the room and while people were still paying attention to just us. We ate dinner first then did the dance so alot of people were busy finishing up dinner, chatting or in the lobby watching the darn texas and tech game....a

Gladiola09

During cocktail hour, we were out there with the photographer taking pictures while guests mingled. When we were ready to come inside, the MC called everyone's attention and announced our entrance ("Please welcome the new Mr. and Mrs..."). Our song started right then. With everyone clapping, we walked straight to the dance floor and did our first dance.As said abode, it's good to do it while all eyes are on you and people's attention span and interest are still high!

henderstraus

Our timeline: 5:30: ceremony 6:00: guest enter ballroom, apps and bar open 7:00: bride and groom enter ballroom 7:05: bride and groom first dance 7:10: open stations, bride and groom mingle 8:00: toasts, parent first dances 9:00: cake cutting 9:45: bouquet toss 10:45: exit

MnMShaw

We did first dance immediately after we walked in and were introduced.  Then we ate, then father/daughter and mother/son dances, then dancing, then toasts and cake, then more dancing, then bouquet/garter toss, then dancing before the exit.

sozay23

don't even get me started on texas/texas tech game.  I'm still furious they changed the schedule and our wedding is at the exact same time as the game.  My friends live and breath UT.  There's two tv's in the bar of the country club and I'm dreading how many people are going to be in there watching it.  I plan on having the DJ do scoring announcements but this is definitely the one thing about my wedding that I'm dreading.  I'm going to have my coordinator do her best to keep the game off the tv in the bar.  It's a country club so it's not like there will be a bunch of young UT people there (ha, who am I kidding?).

ejayne

If I were you, I would tell people to TIVO the game, and don't have it on the TVs!

lnpaul

Thank you for the announcing the score idea! I have been so stressed out that they changed the schedule, when I specifically scheduled around the A&M and Texas football schedules!

Christinesmith10

we scheduled our wedding around the tech game, too... we are football nuts, lol.