Wedding timeline-Need others opinion

RobsBeet

Hi there! I am having a little bit of trouble preparing my reception timelne for the Dj and Photographer. My issue is that I was only able to afford my photographer for 4 1/2 hrs. My ceremony starts at 4:30 so I was going to book her from 4:30 to 9. My reception is 6pm-11pm- With a timeline so far of:

4:30pm-Ceremony

5-6 Posed pics with family and wedding party

6:15-arrive at Reception

7pm-Dinner

7:45 first dance and parents dances

8:05-Open dancing

8:45- cut cake and do bouquet/Garter toss.

9pm dance and party for the rest of the night.

Does this sound ok? I am afraid that we are doing the cake cutting too late, and we are also going to have a dollar dance somewhere in there. Probably before cake cutting. If we do the First Dance, Parents dance, Mother/son, and Father Daughter dance all in a row will people get bored?Is 45 mins enough for dinner? Any suggestions would be great! Thanks.

hrparker

My first impressions:

(1) You don't want any shots of you getting ready (getting into the dress, etc.?)  If your ceremony starts at 4:30, and you don't have her showing up until 4:30, you'll miss all of those shots. 

(2) Your ceremony is over at 5:00, but you're not servin dinner until 7:00?  Are you having a two hour cocktail portion or...?  What are you guests going to be doing for those two hours?

(3)  I definitely don't think I'd do the dances all in a row - yes, people will get bored.  We did our first dance as we entered the reception room (because the first dance officially opens the dance floor), then had dinner, then we did the cake cutting (before dinner was over - we served the cake with berries as dessert), then more dinner and table visits, then the father/daughter mother/son dances.  We didn't have a dollar dance (personally dislike them), and we didn't do a "parents" dance (never heard of it).  In any case, I would find some way to split up the "official" dances.

gl

ETA: Here was our timeline: http://www.scribd.com/doc/15121069/Wedding-Day-Timeline

RobsBeet

I forgot to mention the Reception is about 25 -30 min drive from the church. So I figured if we have a receiving line after the ceremony we will hold the guests up just enough to get them arriving around 6pm.

onlymels

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_ohio-cincinnati_wedding-timeline-need-others-opinion?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:108Discussion:563d0849-95b5-482c-bd39-677523185f68Post:874744f6-f27a-4d30-9362-ffa67ad0dc8e">Re: Wedding timeline-Need others opinion</a>:
[QUOTE]My first impressions: (1) You don't want any shots of you getting ready (getting into the dress, etc.?)  If your ceremony starts at 4:30, and you don't have her showing up until 4:30, you'll miss all of those shots.  (2) Your ceremony is over at 5:00, but you're not servin dinner until 7:00?  Are you having a two hour cocktail portion or...?  What are you guests going to be doing for those two hours? (3)  I definitely don't think I'd do the dances all in a row - yes, people will get bored.  We did our first dance as we entered the reception room (because the first dance officially opens the dance floor), then had dinner, then we did the cake cutting (before dinner was over - we served the cake with berries as dessert), then more dinner and table visits, then the father/daughter mother/son dances.  We didn't have a dollar dance (personally dislike them), <font color="#ff0000">and we didn't do a "parents" dance (never heard of it).</font>  In any case, I would find some way to split up the "official" dances. gl ETA: Here was our timeline: <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/15121069/Wedding-Day-Timeline" rel="nofollow">http://www.scribd.com/doc/15121069/Wedding-Day-Timeline</a>
Posted by hrparker[/QUOTE]

I think she ment father daughter mother groom dance. Just didn't want to type that all out.

onlymels

Anyway I would do all the dances first before open dancing that way your not breaking the open dancing up with anything else. But thats just my opinion. I'm still trying to decide on my timeline also but our wedding and reception are all going to be in one spot.

hrparker

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_ohio-cincinnati_wedding-timeline-need-others-opinion?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:108Discussion:563d0849-95b5-482c-bd39-677523185f68Post:8cf35c97-e6fe-4997-aa08-6bfc14ca969e">Re: Wedding timeline-Need others opinion</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wedding timeline-Need others opinion : I think she ment father daughter mother groom dance. Just didn't want to type that all out.
Posted by onlymels[/QUOTE]

I thought that at first, too, but no, she said:

<div align="left">[QUOTE]If we do the First Dance, Parents dance, Mother/son, and Father Daughter dance[/QUOTE]
</div>
OP - what exactly is a parents dance (for curiosity's sake)?  Is it where the parents of the bride and groom have a dance to themselves?

mindiosu

I agree wiht parker on having the photog get some "getting ready shots". Why don't you do the first dance and cake cutting while guests are eating? That way your photog is able to get those shots early and not spending 45 mins taking candids of ppl eating. 

We used parkers timeline, but changed it a bit. We entered, went straight to sit and did toasts. Food was set up during this time and at the end of the last toast the DJ announced dinner. While everyone went thru the stations we visited/table hopped, then when they were seated, we did the cake cutting.  While ppl finished eating (we took a few mins to eat ourselves) we did our first dance and then the "parents dance"- together we did the mother/son, father daughter dance.

That should move the timing a bit earlier so that the photog captures the important stuff. HTH!

IG.muse

We're not planning on taking any getting ready shots either. I wonder if I'll regret this later but I'm probably going to get ready at my parents' house in Mason and the wedding is downtown Cinci. I'd have to pay the photographer for almost an extra hour just for him driving from my parents' house to my venue. So I know how you feel with the limited photog time and having to make choices on what to cut out.

Is there any way you can start the dinner earlier and skip the receiving line? Although the receiving line could make for some sweet journalistic style shots.

tb583

We will be going straight into our first dance and cake cutting when we arrive.  My parents will then give the welcome and dinner will be served.  After the entrees are served out BM and MOH will give the toasts.  After dessert we will do father/daughter and mother/son dances.  We are not going to do any other formal dances- after F/D and M/S dances we will have open dancing for the rest of the night.

Audge.Podge

You might want to mention this to your photog and see if he/she has any suggestions.  I know my photog has said she likes to be involved in setting out a timeline for the day since she knows how long it will take for her to do group shots, family pics, etc.  I think working with your photographer might maximize what time you have with them.