Ex's of Reception Timeline/Order of Events (buffet style)?

Here's the link to WW timeline generator

http://mktg.weddingwire.com/ideas/wedding-timeline/

I think that is a good timeline. A 30 min break will be good to have the food settle before the next course of food.

@honeylife- thanks....I actually used the WW timeline tool as a baseline; it required a LOT of tweaks though because it has our exit at 1:00 am. Unfortunately, we don't have the venue that long and I fear most folks will be asleep!

I think guests will be good as long as they've had something to eat. I agree you don't want them up getting food during the dancing. I was worried about the long line at the buffet, but it went pretty fast I think.

That sounds like a good amount of time for each activity. I think as long as people have had something at cocktail hour they'll be fine until dinner

It sounds good, but only 2 hours for the party and dancing caught my eye. That will go by so fast!!! Is that all you can do? What time is your ceremony at?

@Kristy - ceremony at 6, not onsite but at a church 5 mins down the road. (Can't really adjust at this point.) Good observation on the 2 hrs, but the partial problem is we only have the bar open for 4.5 hours. We have the venue till midnight, but I suspect once the bar shuts down so will everyone else. Plus, that's getting late for some folks. Suppose I could shift the toasts to during dinner to open up some dancing time? But then I worry that I may be "front loading" to much stuff.

I don't know - of all the weddings I've been to I can't remember the particulars of how the good ones flow.

I would ask the caterer how much time they anticipate for dinner for the number of guests you will be having

Good idea, thanks!

Https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kJukyLnifTj464wbkB_D4hww3yLl5xiTXGGH9NBrMhY/edit?usp=docslist_api

We did everything towards the beginning so that the dancing wouldn't be interrupted.

Why does cocktail hour start 45 minutes after your ceremony if the venue is only 5 minutes away? What will guest do during that time?

Follow Mrs Faith's document. We still have a way to go before our wedding (about 5 months) but its helped a lot. Oh and front load when possible, It looks like a lot but when you really break it down it will allow you and your guests more time for fun together.

Generally a buffet style (in my experience) with more than 100 people takes about an hour for people to go get food and eat. People know they aren't going to walk in and eat immediately. I like the timeline. I suggest brides do the entrance, then the first dance before dinner anyway. But if you do it after, the DJ should wait until everyone is done eating before starting anything.

We did our first dance and a welcome speech before dinner. Those two things took less than 15 minutes. Our wedding planner had our plates prepared before the buffet opened and the BP opened the buffet line. I think you could open the buffet earlier than 8. I would also flip your cake cutting and toasts. We cut the cake around 45 minutes after the buffet opened, and then we took our slices back and the DJ announced that the cake would be cut for everyone (our DOC did this for us because there's a specific way to get all the pieces out of those 3 tier cakes and it does take time to cut the cake). While the cake was cut up for everyone, we had the speeches. It worked out really well and flowed easily as well as giving time for the cake to be cut so there was plenty on the table.

Also, if you have any older guests, I would expect people to start leaving after the cake cutting.