another question!! timeline for day of?

completeanduncut

SO I am in the process of converting reformed and my fiance is orthodox. This is the first wedding in the family in 20 years so we are not really sure what we are doing. I bought the New Jewish Wedding book, but have lost it so I didn't get to finish it. What all do I need to add and in what order and how long does everything take?

5:30 Ceremony Start, (then what??) do we say vows and exchange rings. then kiddushin, then seven blessings (is the circling done at the same time they are read?), breaking the glass, then first kiss?

How long does that usually take?

6:30 is supposed to be drinks and appetizers
7:00 is dinner
Toasts during dinner
Should the first dance be at 7:30 or 7:45 
then father/daughter mother/son
then hora? (What songs did or are you choosing for this?)

I'm sorry I am just super confused and new to all of this. I will hash out a lot of this with my Rabbi, but he won't agree to officiate the wedding until I pay my membership fees and I have not been able to do that yet.  

jessicabessica

We are doing a more or less conservative-type ceremony, and are ashkenazi (at least the ketubah signing is different).  Our rough timeline is:

1. ketubah signing

2. civil license signing

3. bedekin

4. processional (cantor, chuppah holder, groom w/parents, ringbearers, bride w/parents)

5. circling--FI will walk out from under chuppah and meet me with my parents, we'll walk under the chuppah together after my parents, and then i'll circle FI

6. erusin/kiddushin

7. nisuin (sheva berachot)

8. glass breaking

9. yichud

We're having an afternoon ceremony and reception, but our basic reception timeline is:

1. first dance

2. everyone join on dance floor for hora

3. host welcomes

4. motzi

5. meal

6. parent dances, then open dancing

I think it can be good to do the hora before people get too stuffed from dinner.  

october010bride

We had a late afternoon ceremony and an early evening reception... it went like this:

1. First look- just H, myself and our photog;
2. Quick formals with the bp and our families
3. Run through of the ceremony- we didn't do a rehearsal
__________________________
4. Ketubah signing
5. Bedeken
6. Processional begins
7. Ceremony- we didn't do the circling but had a traditional ceremony
8. We kissed then broke the glass (I think)
9. Yichud
10. More formal pictures
_____________________________________

For the reception we did first dance, motzi, etc and then the meal. We did the horah later on after all the eating was done.... we wanted it to lead right into the dancing part.

MrsMLRB

We are having a conservative ceremony and here is our timeline:

2- 4- First look/Formal pictures
4-5- Co-Ed Tisch
5-530- Ketubah signing and Bedeken (only for those who are already there for pictures)
530-6- Ceremony
6-7- Cocktail hour
7-715- Introductions and first dance
715- Motzi and salad course
Toasts will be in between the different courses
After the meal, we are going to cut the cake and then do the hora while the cake is being sliced up in the back. Then on to the dancing for the evening.

I think if you leave an hour for a ceremony, you are going to have way too much time budgeted. All the Jewish weddings I have been to are very short.  As for the ceremony, the order we have is (I am doing this off the top of my head so I may have forgotten something):

Processional to Chuppah (rabbi, groom with parents, wedding party in pairs, bride with parents)
Circling of the groom
Kiddush
Rings
Sheva Brachot
Glass Breaking
Yichud
Sheva Brachot

completeanduncut

thank you guys! I really appreciate your help

lachlom

If your fiance is practicing orthodoxy, have you discussed with him how religious the actual ceremony is? Your description doesn't match that of a typical orthodox ceremony. From all the weddings I've been to/been in/etc, it's like this:

-Pictures with families(without couple) before the bedeken

-bedeken and tish

-chuppah -- bride circles groom, blessing made over wine, groom gives bride ring, -ketubah is read, sheva brachot recited, glass smashed

-yichud

-pictures of couple together

-reception

Most orthodox weddings I have been to take about 30 minutes if the rabbi doesn't give a speech.

asayl700

keep in mind, jewish standard time