reception timeline planning

mimiwilson1988

Ok so I think I got this but I was just wondering what everyone thinks. Rough draft btw. My FH is no help its Idk or yep thats fine when I ask him lol. ok so ceremony starts at 4pm

4:15-4:20 ceremony over with

4:30-5:30 pictures and cocktail hour for guest

5:45 grand entrance and MAYBE first dance but havent decide thinking after dinner

5:45-8 Dinner start cake cutting around maybe 7 and also we would like to have a drawing for our center pieces which r pictures of me and my fiance throughout this time 

8 dancing starts first dance-father daughter-mother son dances

9pm- bouquet too and garter toss

Just wondering what everyone thinks and if I forgot anything please let me know, toast will be during dinner and would like to have light music through cocktail and dinner  

mysticl

Are you having a lot of people that you think dinner will take over 2 hours?  It should not take people an hour to eat their cake.  

Leave out the drawing for the centerpieces.  Most people aren't going to want pictures of your relationship.  Just give them to your parents/grandparents afterwards.  

mimiwilson1988

So maybe start the dancing at 7 then would that seem better? and the center piece thing I really want to do my fiance has a very large family and we all live in the same area so i thought the drawing would be a good idea because I know how much they would like it The grandparents are forsure getting some of the center pieces we are just going to have a lot left over and that is the reason for the drawing. 

mlg78

I'm not a fan... You're okay until 5:45...  We went straight from the grand entrance into our first dance and then cut the cake so the venue could be cutting the rest to be served immediately following dinner.  After we were done eating we did table visits.  After that we had the mother/son dance and then that opened up the dance floor to everyone.  As far as when that all occurs, it's hard to determine...but I think that's a much better flow than what you've done.

mysticl

mimiwilson1988 said:

So maybe start the dancing at 7 then would that seem better? and the center piece thing I really want to do my fiance has a very large family and we all live in the same area so i thought the drawing would be a good idea because I know how much they would like it The grandparents are forsure getting some of the center pieces we are just going to have a lot left over and that is the reason for the drawing. 

I would start the dancing earlier.  People can eat cake while you are dancing.  

Are you only inviting family?  Because a drawing means anyone could get it.  Your cousin's girlfriend doesn't want it.  Your FI's college roommate doesn't want it.  Your coworker doesn't want it.  Just give them to family.  

mimiwilson1988

mysticl that makes more sense when you put it that way about the centerpieces. The dancing im worried about because dj may not be there until between 7-8. Thats why the dancing so much later and the fact that my FH family is major partiers so we are going to be going later into the night like 11pm-12am

mysticl

Why isn't your DJ coming till then?  Is it for money reasons?  Ours played through cocktail hour and dinner and then turned the volume up for dancing.  He also announced us when we arrived.  

You FI's family may like to party but that's an 8 hour wedding.  When you add the getting ready time on top of that you and your H may not last that long.  

Viczaesar

What's happening between 5:30 and 5:45?

Maggie0829

Wait, so your DJ isn't showing up until 7-8pm?  This is not a good idea.  Your DJ will have stuff that he needs to set up.  Do you really want him doing this while your guests are eating dinner?  Also, since he isn't showing up until later, does that mean you aren't having any music during cocktail hour and dinner?

Also, 2 hours is not needed for dinner and cake.  That is a long time.  You, at most, need an hour and a half.

And I agree with mysticl.  An 8 hour wedding is a really long event.  I understand that your FI family likes to party (my H and I and our friends love to party too), but I would have maybe a 6 hour wedding and then figure out an after-party of sorts at a local bar/club where you tell people "hey, we are going to go to X afterwards, so if you want to come and hang out and keep the party going you are welcomed to."  That way you aren't having to host anything and the people who want to keep partying can.

mimiwilson1988

Ok so after posting this we thought about the dj and we didnt have anything set in stone yet with hime so we hired someone else to be our dj who is also a very good friend to the family. So the timing for music starting is not an issue anymore. Viczaesar- the spot between 5:30-5:45 was just travel time for us to get back to reception site from pictures which is about 10mins away. I need to look at this again for the eating part. Any suggestions will be appreciated..thanks!!