timeline for 'reception style' reception

lpannocchia

I should also mention I'm from the north where I'm sure you know plated dinner receptions are the norm.  However, we decided to stick with NOLA tradition and have a 'reception style' reception (I'm not even sure this is the proper name for it).  That being said, does anyone have a timeline for this?  When do you transition from cocktail hour, do the first dances, cut the cake, etc. If anyone gave their coordinator a timeline or has any suggestions I'd appreciate it!

Kate504

most NOLA weddings that i have been to don't have a cocktail hour and are on average 3 hours for a reception. i went to a place yesterday and she said that they had a bride who was from oot and they had a 5 hour wedding and all the nola guest left at the 3 hour mark lol. anyway, most times the first dance is first and the cake cutting takes place some where after the first hour or so. i have never really paid attention to the timing it always felt like it was about midway through or around the time that let everyone eat a little so about the one hour mark.the the bouquet and garter toss would be about the hour and a half or so two hour after the cake. That's kind of what i remember from my sister's wedding, she had a money dance too, so if you have things like that you make time for that as well.

eamcardle

I'm from the Northeast and got married here in March. We had a buffet dinner (with seating for everyone, which is rare here) and a 4-hour reception.

Here was our rough timeline::
6-7pm: church ceremony,
7-730pm: second line,
730-8pm: pass hor douvres/cocktail-ish half hour (people walked around the museum a bit, but could go to their seats if they wanted);
8-830pm: first dance, toasts.
830-10pm: buffet dinner (which was open all night), dancing, DJ music.
10pm: served cake (I didn't cut the cake b/c I didn't want to break up the dancing, but you could cut it around this time),
10-11pm: brass band came back on to close it out for the last hour of dancing. 

Does that help? You basically work out the timing based on the length of the reception, what you want to do and what flows best. I was careful not to break up the reception much because I wanted people to dance.

I made a very detailed copy of the schedule and gave copies to my reception contact, DJ, band, caterer, everyone. The contact at your reception site can give you a lot of tips based on what she's seen work best.

zoopsiedaisy

One good thing about most of the venues is that they will give you a very detailed questionnaire that will help you design the layout you want.  Also, whoever the coordinator is at the venue will be very helpful with all of this.  Where is your reception?

lpannocchia

Thanks for the tips ladies! I should probably contact my venue's coordinator as you guys suggested.  Just getting a good idea from you ladies before I did so.  My reception is at Latrobes and we're now doing the second line after, so we'll have a bit of a cocktail hour before we get there. I definitely don't want to keep stopping the dancing for different events.  I haven't decided yet if we'll do the garter/bouquet toss.