What are the typical order of events at a reception?

This is our tentative timeline:

Guests arrive at the reception for cocktail hour begins

Cocktail hour ends and guests are seated for reception

Introduction of the bridal party and the bride and groom

First dance

Prayer/blessing of dinner by officiant

Dinner is served

Champagne toasts from brother of the groom and sister of the bride

Cake-cutting ceremony

Dance floor opens to everyone

send-off for the newlyweds

This is the sample schedule from my venue

2:45pm Arrive at Mansion House Bay

3:0pm Cermony (or 3pm)

4:15pm Finger foo/drinks in main gardens (O.J, Water & Bubbles)

5:30pm Head over to reception venue (marquee)

 5:4pm Guest seated

Just Before 6pm  Bride & groom arrive and are seated

 6:00pm  Bread & dips for tables (kids dinner served)

Speeches

 6:30pm Buffet dinner head table served first

 7:15/7:30pm Cake cutting

 7:30pm Dessert

 ?  First Dance

We went with our DJ/MC's typical order of events but added our own twists. Everything flowed very smoothly and no one ever looked bored. Even though guests arrived at 4 for cocktail hour we still had a large crowd at the very end of the night. Limited bar of beer and sangria was available from 5-10 with an optional cash bar for cocktails/shots/etc. Obviously most receptions don't last 8 hours but we had a pretty young crowd and my family always taught me to go big or go home and celebrate everything, and everyone ended up having a great time.

Cocktail hour with 5 hors'devours, beer, sangria, and 2 signature cocktails

wedding party intro "Happy" by Pharell each pair danced a little

bride & groom intro "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO we danced a little then

invited all of the guests to dance with us for the remainder of the song

first dance "I do" by Jessie James Decker (2 mins)

father/daughter dance "Military Man" by Jessie James Decker (2 mins)

mother/son dance "A Mother's Song" T-Carter Music (2 mins)

hibachi buffet dinner

picture slideshow "Gone Gone Gone" by Phillip Phillips, "Lose Myself Tonight" by One Republic and half of "Marry Me" by Jason Derulo

toasts (best man, MOH, one bridesman, two groomsmen, MOG, FOB) each 2 minutes

cake cutting

rooftop bride & groom photos (guests were eating cake)

bouquet toss

garter removal and toss

anniversary dance

la marcha de los novios (NM traditional dance)

line/group dances

dollar dance

dancing 830ish-midnight

This is a good post, very informative!

Ours will be

530-630 Cocktails & Hors d'oeurves

630 Bridal party entrance

First Dance immediately after our entrance

Father/Daughter Dance

Mother/Son Dance

Cake Cutting

700 - Dinner service begins

Toasts to be done through out dinner service in in between courses (Both Sets of parents, MOH, Best Man, and our Toast of course)

Hopefully the party/dancing starts around 900

Garter / Bouquet will be sometime during party time

900 Candy table setup

1100pm Late night station opens up

1am Reception end