Updated w/ Timeline When do/did you cut the cake?

I thought you cut cake after dinner. That's how I'm doing mine. Unless you're not having dinner at your reception.

I thought you cut the cake after dinner too, but our venue contact said they usually do it right after the intros before dinner. She said this is so that the cake can be taken back to the kitchen to be cut while dinner is being served, and can be served right after dinner.

We did it about an hour after dinner-- so, our first dance and then opened the dance floor (we had no other special dances) for about 50 minutes, then cake cutting.

The cake cutting is traditionally the "unofficial" sign to let older guests know they can leave the wedding without being rude, so doing it so early seems strange to me. Things worked out really well how we did it, and you are right-- people were eating cake for a while after it was cut (myself included).

After dinner...it is desert after all ?? That's how I look at it.

What do you think of this timeline?

Bride & Bridesmaids Arrive 2:00 pm

Groom & Groomsmen Arrive 2:00 pm

Guests Arrive 4:30 pm

Ceremony 5:00pm – 5:30pm

Cocktail Hour 5:30pm-6:30pm

Bridal Party Photos 5:30-6:30pm

Guests are seated/Dinner 6:30pm

Introduction of Bridal Party 6:45pm

1st Dance 6:50pm

Toasts are made during dinner 7:00pm

Dinner is Served 7:00pm

Ray & Precious Toast 8:15 pm

First Love Dance 8:20pm

Cake Cutting/Bridal & Garter Toss 8:25 pm

Anniversary Dance 8:45 pm

Open Dancing/Mingling 8:50pm

Last Call at Bar 9:40pm

End 10:00pm

Gather all belongings 10:00pm – 11:00pm

* first Love dance is replacing the stand alone mother/son and mother/daughter dance. Doing them at the same time

We will have about 150 guests. I think I was generous with how long some of the special stuff would take. So we are looking at an hour minimum for dancing.

We're cutting it as dinner is winding down after the toasts.

Reason: Right after the toasts, everyone's attention will be focused on the B&G.

We are married at 4pm, then cocktail hour, reception at 5:30, special dances begin around 7 and we are going to do our cake cutting about 9pm. People will be so full from dinner. We are having a four course meal. At about 11pm, we are having a live Belgium waffle and fresh fruit bar opening up. Last call at the bar is 1am.

It must be different in Canada because last call for us is 1:30 AM. I don't think I've ever been to a wedding that ended before midnight.

We cut ours after dinner and then they waited to serve it. What is Ray & Precious toast?

We will be cutting ours shortly after the introductions, before dinner. We are only doing a cutting cake and the venue is providing dessert!

@lindsayc, It might be a Canadian thing. The only wedding that I've ever been to that has gone past midnight was my cousin's in Canada.

I like cutting the cake after dinner. I have seen it done before dinner where it's ENTRANCE-FIRST DANCE-FATHER DAUGHTER-MOTHER GROOM-CUT THE CAKE then time for dinner. I think it feels very rushed and like they're only happening to get them over with. I like the idea of spreading things out a little.

We are getting married on a Sunday and we are only renting the venue for 5 hours.

The Ray and Precious toast is what my coordinator is calling FH and I saying a few words, thanking people and what not.