WP entering reception area

MissMolly

Sorry, I'm a little clueless about how this should happen, but at what point does a WP enter the reception hall? FH doesn't want to stand around for a half hour, and would like us to go to cocktails, and I'm unsure. I've been to quite a few weddings, and have never seen this done. Does the WP usually get introduced just before supper? To throw a curveball into the mix, I've just hired on a brass quintet to "introduce" us into the hall. So, I guess my question is: when do we walk into the hall?

jessyk1065

At my friend's wedding they also had a cocktail hour. The bride, groom, bridesmaids, and groomsmen all mingled with guests at their leisure, and then when guests were seated for dinner we were all introduced and announced by the DJ. This is what I plan to do at my reception as well, as it seemed to kind of usher in the more planned part of the reception (cake cutting, formal dances, etc).

monkeysip

You can do it really any way you want.

Our bridal party was not introduced.  They just entered cocktail hour whenever they got there.  

We took pictures for all of cocktail hour and were introduced when we got the reception hall.  After being introduced, we went directly into our first dance.  At this point, a lot of B&Gs might serve dinner, but at our venue, dinner wasn't served until a little later, so we just opened up the dance floor for a little while.

But it's completely up to you.  You could come in without the fanfare and just be introduced later, or you could be introduced during cocktail or after cocktail hour.  Your bridal party members don't have to be introduced at all, but if they want to be, then they could come in whenever and be introduced whenever you and your FI are.

MissMolly

Thanks for the thoughts, Jessyk! I'm going to guess that it won't be the usual announcement of something like: "introducing for the first time as husband and wife. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Blow!"? I suppose if we chose to go a receiving line, between cocktails and dance would also be a good time to do so.

MissMolly

Thanks as well, Monkeysip. Yeah, I'm really not sure how to go about doing it. If we just mingle at the cocktail hour (which is at the same place as the dinner and dance), then I don't really see the point of a grand entrance, which would probably make me want to not hire the brass quintet. I would think that since we're already there, we would just take our seats at the head table to eat. Our event plan is:

Cocktails: 6:00pm
Dinner: 6:30pm
Dance to follow

Between dinner and dance, we were going to probably do a receiving line.

MissMolly

Danke StageManager,

We would do a RL just after the ceremony, but it is in my parent's backyard, and we will need to leave pretty quick after the ceremony to start on photos.

monkeysip

I would nix the receiving line altogether.  They tend to get long and boring, and it will break up the flow of your reception.  Table visits are a better option in your case.

You don't have to be introduced back into your reception if you're already there.  I agree, that might be a little weird.

But assuming you're doing a first dance, you'll be announced that way.  "Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce Mr. Husband and Mrs. Alesha as they have their first dance as husband and wife" or something like that.  

AddieCake

We all just walked in on our own. My husband and I didn't even enter the reception together. 

alithebride

skip the receiving line then and just be sure to thank everyone.

interrupting the flow fo the reception to do a line is silly.

but they really only take max 10 minutes or so just keep it moving you can totally fit it in after the ceremony.

MissMolly

FH and I met for dinner last night, and chatted about things before meeting with our MC. What we decided: no receiving line (I've never liked going through them, and FH is very neutral when it comes to them). We also won't be there for cocktails, as we decided to do a bit of a grand entrance with that brass quintet, which I'm thrilled about! For a few years, I played in a semi-pro concert band, and these are old bandmates from there. We've also hammered out a plan for the MC at the reception, gotten our speeches in order, and are all good to go in that regard. Yay, that was easier than originally thought!

Viczaesar

Alesha1978 said:

Danke StageManager,

We would do a RL just after the ceremony, but it is in my parent's backyard, and we will need to leave pretty quick after the ceremony to start on photos.

When exactly are you taking pictures, during the cocktail half hour from 6-6:30?

MissMolly

Viczaesar said:

Alesha1978 said:

Danke StageManager,

We would do a RL just after the ceremony, but it is in my parent's backyard, and we will need to leave pretty quick after the ceremony to start on photos.

When exactly are you taking pictures, during the cocktail half hour from 6-6:30?

Oh gosh no, that's probably when photos will be finishing up. But our ceremony starts at 1:30, and won't go very long. Photos are directly after that, and up until the limo drops us off at 6pm at the reception hall.

erinlin25

they/you can go to cocktail hour and then you all can still get formally introduced at the beginning of the reception.  Its totally up to you. 

at our wedding we did not go to cocktail hour, but our venue had drinks and appetizers served to us out back after we were done with photo's and before we were formally invited.

I've seen both ways.

dakotapa92

Alesha1978 said:

Viczaesar said:

Alesha1978 said:

Danke StageManager,

We would do a RL just after the ceremony, but it is in my parent's backyard, and we will need to leave pretty quick after the ceremony to start on photos.

When exactly are you taking pictures, during the cocktail half hour from 6-6:30?

Oh gosh no, that's probably when photos will be finishing up. But our ceremony starts at 1:30, and won't go very long. Photos are directly after that, and up until the limo drops us off at 6pm at the reception hall.

 

 

 What are your guests going to be doing from after the ceremony till the 6pm cocktail hour?

JaneAustensGhost

I had the same thought - that's quite a large gap.  

MissMolly

I would guess the same thing that I've always done at every wedding I've been to: go hang with family or friends, go for lunch, go for a coffee/drink. That comprises a typical wedding where I've lived in Canada; do people in the US do it up differently?

dakotapa92

Alesha1978 said:

I would guess the same thing that I've always done at every wedding I've been to: go hang with family or friends, go for lunch, go for a coffee/drink. That comprises a typical wedding where I've lived in Canada; do people in the US do it up differently?

 

 

 

I would say its found to be extremly rude in the US to have a gap that long.

MissMolly

Yeah, that's what I kind of figured, but I guess that's the difference between Canada and the US. I've never been to a wedding where we rush from the ceremony to go eat supper, but then, no one is really ready for supper at 2pm. Also, here, photos generally take a little longer than half an hour.

Retread, I didn't even think of an entrance until I went to my friend's wedding. She's a belly dancer, and had gotten some belly dancer friends to introduce the WP into the hall at the start of supper. It's not something I'd even consider, but since our wedding is themed around my FH's interests, I thought it might be neat to also incorporate a facet of my personality in there too. We did a who's who program for the ceremony, just because our families don't know each other, but the musicians aren't announcing any names, so I don't see how it's redundant. I think it's just a fun thing to do!

MissMolly

Yeah, that's what I kind of figured, but I guess that's the difference between Canada and the US. I've never been to a wedding where we rush from the ceremony to go eat supper, but then, no one is really ready for supper at 2pm. Also, here, photos generally take a little longer than half an hour.

Retread, I didn't even think of an entrance until I went to my friend's wedding. She's a belly dancer, and had gotten some belly dancer friends to introduce the WP into the hall at the start of supper. It's not something I'd even consider, but since our wedding is themed around my FH's interests, I thought it might be neat to also incorporate a facet of my personality in there too. We did a who's who program for the ceremony, just because our families don't know each other, but the musicians aren't announcing any names, so I don't see how it's redundant. I think it's just a fun thing to do!

MissMolly

Yeah, that's what I kind of figured, but I guess that's the difference between Canada and the US. I've never been to a wedding where we rush from the ceremony to go eat supper, but then, no one is really ready for supper at 2pm. Also, here, photos generally take a little longer than half an hour.

Retread, I didn't even think of an entrance until I went to my friend's wedding. She's a belly dancer, and had gotten some belly dancer friends to introduce the WP into the hall at the start of supper. It's not something I'd even consider, but since our wedding is themed around my FH's interests, I thought it might be neat to also incorporate a facet of my personality in there too. We did a who's who program for the ceremony, just because our families don't know each other, but the musicians aren't announcing any names, so I don't see how it's redundant. I think it's just a fun thing to do!

MissMolly

Yeah, that's what I kind of figured, but I guess that's the difference between Canada and the US. I've never been to a wedding where we rush from the ceremony to go eat supper, but then, no one is really ready for supper at 2pm. Also, here, photos generally take a little longer than half an hour.

Retread, I didn't even think of an entrance until I went to my friend's wedding. She's a belly dancer, and had gotten some belly dancer friends to introduce the WP into the hall at the start of supper. It's not something I'd even consider, but since our wedding is themed around my FH's interests, I thought it might be neat to also incorporate a facet of my personality in there too. We did a who's who program for the ceremony, just because our families don't know each other, but the musicians aren't announcing any names, so I don't see how it's redundant. I think it's just a fun thing to do!