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Beginner September 2019

Help - wedding reception timeline

Emily, on July 15, 2019 at 3:37 PM Posted in Wedding Reception 1 6

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When should I fit the toast(s) in my timeline? We’re having a reception-only celebration (private ceremony is before everyone gets there). I figured we would do things in this order:

- cocktails
- husband and I are announced
- we grab the mic for a quick “welcome, thanks for coming, etc”
- buffet opens, tables released 1 by 1
- we make our table visits as soon as buffet opens (obviously start visit in opposite order of tables to be released for buffet)
- husbands best friend makes 1st toast an hour into dinner
- my best friend makes 2nd toast after that
- cake cutting

I would sooooo appreciate any advice or suggestions for the timeline. Reception-only weddings can be awkward because they don’t usually follow a traditional timeline.

My biggest issue is what to do as soon as we enter because we don’t want to just walk in and sit down to eat, which is why I figured we’d do table visits while people are eating so that they’re not all just sitting around waiting for us to visit their table. We don’t want to do a first dance either.

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6 Comments

Latest activity by Jolie, on July 16, 2019 at 10:56 AM

Legend November 2019
Caytlyn · on July 15, 2019 at 3:39 PM
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I think it’s odd to do table visits during dinner. When will you eat? Are you planning to attend cocktail hour? If so, you could chat with most of your guests then, and only spend a few minutes doing table visits at the end of dinner.
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Beginner September 2019
Emily · on July 15, 2019 at 3:44 PM
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You’re right, it may be kind of awkward to do them during dinner.. I guess I just don’t know what else to do after we enter.. and I figured it would be weird to just sit go sit down and eat in front of everyone while they’re waiting for dinner.. Any suggestions of what we could do after we enter instead of table visits?

And no I wasn’t planning on attending cocktail hour because I thought we weren’t really supposed to. I thought we were supposed to kind of hide away from our guests until we’re announced. I obviously haven’t been to many weddings, I have no idea what I’m doing lol.
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Legend November 2019
Caytlyn · on July 15, 2019 at 4:00 PM
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Many couples choose to attend cocktail hour. The only reason you didn’t used to see the couple during cocktail hour is because they were taking photos (that’s the real purpose of cocktail hour) but many people opt to do photos before the ceremony to save time. If you don’t have a real reason not to join cocktail hour, I would. Make a little welcome speech as soon as you enter the reception and then eat. Your guests will be mingling and chatting while they wait to get their food, not just sitting in their seats watching you eat.
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Master December 2019
Courtney · on July 15, 2019 at 4:08 PM
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This is our timeline:
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Champion December 2017
earias · on July 15, 2019 at 4:11 PM
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It's very common now for the couple to attend cocktail hour. In fact, my DH and I were really looking forward to enjoying cocktail hour with our guests, especially enjoying all the yummy food my venue served for cocktail hour. This gave us time to visit with most of our guests. Some couples still want that "grand entrance" after cocktail hour, which you can still do if you wanted to be announced. You would just wait for your guests to be seated and then you would enter afterwards and take your seat. Your venue should get your food for you and serve you at your table. It is the norm for the couple to be served and eat first. Then while your guests are finishing up their meal you can do your table visits. If you can have more than one table go up at a time I would recommend that because it takes a long time for tables to get food at a buffet. By the time the last table is served, the first table will probably be done eating.
Also, when creating a timeline, I recommend actually putting in the time for each event. For instance, here was my timeline for my reception:
4:15-5:45 cocktail hour (ours was 90 minutes since we took some formal pictures at the church after the ceremony and our church had to do the ceremony from 3-4)
5:45-6 dinner announced; guests find their seats
6-7:30 plated dinner served
6:05 bride gives welcome toast
7:30 bridesmaid gives toast on behalf of wedding party
7:45 cake cutting
7:55 first dance, after 30 seconds into it the band leader invited everyone to join us
8 open dance floor; open photo booth
8:30 cake served at each place setting for guests to enjoy at their leisure
9 s'mores served around the fire pit
10 grilled cheese sandwiches served
11 last dance; end of reception
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Master October 2019
Jolie · on July 16, 2019 at 10:56 AM
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Toasts are meant to be before you eat much like a prayer. Are they actually toasts or just speeches? I would just have both speeches before dinner and call it a day. When are you eating if you are walking around to tables? The bride and groom typically eat first then do table walk throughs.
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