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Wedding My reception timeline--does it seem empty?

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musey

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What do you think? Since we nixed some of the older traditions (like the bouquet and garter tosses), it seems a little empty to me. Though I'm not sure why I'm thinking we need to fill time with little events, people will just party. Right?

Anyway.



6:30 PM - COCKTAIL HOUR

7:10 PM - NEWLYWEDSʼ ARRIVAL/FIRST DANCE

7:15 PM - SPEECHES &TOASTS
Immediately following first dance. Order of speeches/toasts:
- Groomsmen
- Maid of Honor
- Groomʼs Parents
- Brideʼs Parents

7:30 PM - DINNER

8:15 PM - PARTY TIME
- 8:15 -- Father/Daughter Mother/Son dance
- 8:20 -- General dancing

9:30 PM - CAKE CUTTING
- 9:35 -- Short speech from bride and groom

9:45 PM - 2nd ROUND OF DANCING

10:50 PM - LAST DANCE
 
Not at all, Musey. It seems action packed to me with just enough flexibility in case any of the speeches run long or dinner runs late.
It''s perfect.
 
Date: 9/25/2008 8:09:48 PM
Author: Sparkalicious
Not at all, Musey. It seems action packed to me with just enough flexibility in case any of the speeches run long or dinner runs late.

It''s perfect.
Thanks, Spark! That makes me feel better.

Do you think we''re waiting too long to cut the cake?
 
Date: 9/25/2008 8:16:43 PM
Author: musey
Thanks, Spark! That makes me feel better.

Do you think we''re waiting too long to cut the cake?
Good - I''m glad.
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I''m thinking that that is perfect because sometimes once the cake is cut, people take that as the night being over and they start to leave. This way, the bride and groom give their speech, the cake is cut and anyone who wants/needs to leave can do so at a decent hour and those who want to dance still have plenty of time to do so. I think it works.

People have just over an hour to digest their dinner, yet it won''t feel like an hour because they will be occupied with the activities that will be taking place in the interim.

It''s perfect. Thanks for coming up with this timeline ... Our reception has similar timing. Cocktail hour starts at 6:30 and so on. This helps me out a lot.
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Oh good, I''m glad it helped you!!

Thanks for the reassurance :)
 
You''re most welcome!
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Actually, in reviewing this again, I''m really thinking that you are not even going to notice any lull or empty time at all. It will just breeze by!
 
I think your schedule sounds perfect! The in-between time is perfect for mingling, chatting, and celebratory drinks
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ETA: I like that you're forgoing the bouquet/garter toss. I will be, too. I had too many bad bouquet toss experiences as an LIW to subject my girls to it! There is also no way FI is reaching under my form-fitting dress in front of my grandmothers.
 
Sweet!

The problem I''m having is that the DJ is giving me (unsolicited) advice to just clump all the "events" right after dinner. So:

6:30 PM - COCKTAIL HOUR

7:30 PM - DINNER

8:15 PM - NEWLYWEDSʼ FIRST DANCE

8:20 PM - SPEECHES &TOASTS
Immediately following first dance. Order of speeches/toasts:
- Groomsmen
- Maid of Honor
- Groomʼs Parents
- Brideʼs Parents

8:45 PM - CAKE CUTTING
- 9:35 -- Short speech from bride and groom

8:50 PM - PARTY TIME
- 8:50 -- Father/Daughter Mother/Son dance
- 8:55 -- General dancing

10:50 PM - LAST DANCE
 
A compromise could be:

6:30 PM - COCKTAIL HOUR

7:10 PM - NEWLYWEDS' ARRIVAL / FIRST DANCE

7:15 PM - SPEECHES &TOASTS
Immediately following first dance. Order of speeches/toasts:
- Groomsmen
- Maid of Honor
- Groomʼs Parents
- Brideʼs Parents

7:30 PM - DINNER

8:15 PM - PARENT DANCE
- Father/Daughter Mother/Son (combined)

8:20 PM - CAKE CUTTING
- 8:25 -- Short speech from bride and groom

10:50 PM - LAST DANCE
 
Date: 9/25/2008 8:56:55 PM
Author: musey
Sweet!

The problem I''m having is that the DJ is giving me (unsolicited) advice to just clump all the ''events'' right after dinner. So:
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I like your timeline better.
What''s his reasoning ... Has he offered that as well?
 
Date: 9/25/2008 9:05:17 PM
Author: Sparkalicious
Date: 9/25/2008 8:56:55 PM
Author: musey
Sweet!

The problem I''m having is that the DJ is giving me (unsolicited) advice to just clump all the ''events'' right after dinner. So:
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I like your timeline better.
What''s his reasoning ... Has he offered that as well?
He did in a subsequent email... he thinks that it''s better to clump the "traditional" stuff toward the beginning so the elderly and people with children along will know when it''s okay to go home
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I just talked to the best man, and he likes the "compromised" timeline the best (basically what I initially had, but moving the cake cutting to 8:20 instead of 9:30).
 
Date: 9/25/2008 9:08:50 PM
Author: musey
He did in a subsequent email... he thinks that it''s better to clump the ''traditional'' stuff toward the beginning so the elderly and people with children along will know when it''s okay to go home
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I just talked to the best man, and he likes the ''compromised'' timeline the best (basically what I initially had, but moving the cake cutting to 8:20 instead of 9:30).
There you go then. It''s a deal. Maybe it''s not such a bad idea to let kids and older guests feel okay to leave a little earlier. This frees up the party people to let loose.
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Either way - It works and will be wonderful!
 
yeah. it looks fine to me. don''t want to overload it with all these little events, anyway. The night goes by soooooo fast.
 
Ditto, I think it''s perfect. You don''t want to schedule too many things/timepoints, as then you are likely too feel rushed. You want plenty of time to stand back with your new hubby and enjoy being married!
 
Thanks ladies!
 
If you still feel its empty, here is what we are doing instead of the bouquet toss: everyone who is married is dancing, and the DJ slowly tells everyone who has been married the least to leave the floor. So, first would be you and DH, then one year, five years, etc., so the last couple left dancing has been married the longest. You then present the "toss" bouquet to that couple.

Please, do the order however you want, but I just wanted to give you one suggestion!
 
i think that you''d have a great party with any of them, and the compromised one is definitely a good choice! my dj offered the same "advice", although he did it in the form of TELLING us when we would do what.
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Date: 9/25/2008 8:05:22 PM
Author:musey
What do you think? Since we nixed some of the older traditions (like the bouquet and garter tosses), it seems a little empty to me. Though I''m not sure why I''m thinking we need to fill time with little events, people will just party. Right?

Anyway.



6:30 PM - COCKTAIL HOUR

7:10 PM - NEWLYWEDSʼ ARRIVAL/FIRST DANCE

7:15 PM - SPEECHES &TOASTS
Immediately following first dance. Order of speeches/toasts:
- Groomsmen
- Maid of Honor
- Groomʼs Parents
- Brideʼs Parents

7:30 PM - DINNER

8:15 PM - PARTY TIME
- 8:15 -- Father/Daughter Mother/Son dance
- 8:20 -- General dancing

9:30 PM - CAKE CUTTING
- 9:35 -- Short speech from bride and groom

9:45 PM - 2nd ROUND OF DANCING

10:50 PM - LAST DANCE

My time line looks almost identical to yours. We nixed the bouquet and garter tosses too. We planned on toasting our guests at the end of dinner (since everyone will be seated). Though, will it be odd if the champagne is already poured....I think we will just have someone come around and pour it towards the end of dinner. We are having the cake cutting at the same time as well. Oooh...I kind of like how you did that....Maybe I will do that instead. Good idea, have our toast to the people during cake cutting, while I have got their attention! they can pour it all right before. something to think about!

The only other difference is that our last dance isn''t until midnight.

Our DJ seemed to think it was a great timeline. He thought 930 was a good cake cutting time so the older folks could head on up to bed and such and the younger ones could keep partying, plus good chance to break out the more riskque of music selections.
 
That''s ok if you want to compromsie, but remember it''s your night, not the DJs, so I would politely tell him that this is what you have decided on and he will just have to work with that. Sorry to sound harsh, but I get upset when other people try and tell you how to have your wedding.

I have been a bit put off with some SA in jewellery shops. IF ONE MORE PERSON tells me that I don''t want a 2mm channel set wband as it will be too thin (on my smallish thinnish fingers to match my 2mm ering) I will have an aneurism. Nothing like pi**ing off the chick with the money by telling her that her ideas suck.
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I think it sounds action packed! There''s a good amount of time for people to be free to mingle and dance without getting bored.

I like the compromised cake time better than the late one. My only worry with the cake cutting being that late is that some people may not get to try it. I was at a wedding last year and they cut the cake late and served it. We kept dancing for the next 40min or so assuming they would announce when it was nearing the end and then we would run back and eat the cake. All of a sudden, the music stopped, our cake was taken away (uneaten) and we were kicked out. Lol. Blame it on us for being clueless and drunk, but I still wish we had been able to try the cake.
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P.S. I think it''s cool that you''re not doing the bouquet/garter thing. We definitely won''t be doing the garter (it''s not something I''m really comfortable doing in front of a crowd) and we probably won''t throw the bouquet ... so good for you deciding on what you really want and not feeling like you have to follow tradition.
 
Date: 9/25/2008 8:16:43 PM
Author: musey

Thanks, Spark! That makes me feel better.

Do you think we're waiting too long to cut the cake?
Honestly, yes, I do think the initial plan waits too long to cut the cake.

It makes it harder on the wait staff because once you make the 'celebratory' cuts, the waitstaff still has to cut the rest of it, plate it, and get it served......and then pick up the dessert plates when it's done.

Also, if you wait that long to cut it, it's likely the 'early departures' will miss it. People who want to go early will do so whether or not the cake has been done.

A friend of mine is a DJ, and he often recommends getting the 'core' things done earlier because it's easier to 'corrale' everyone's attention. Once the partying gets started, it's tough to break the action...especially if people have been drinking by that point.
 
I dont think it seems empty at all!
 
I must be a rude bride, but I am not organizing my schedule based on the people who leave early. Actually, I''m doing the opposite. I am leaving some of the ''traditional'' stuff until the end. I am doing speeches during dinner, and then once FI and I do our speech, we will walk over, cut the cake, and then have our first dance.

I honestly hate the idea of the early leavers. Unless it is my FI''s 93 year old Nona (who actually won''t come to dinner) or someone with a small baby or something like that, don''t leave early. Either come, or don''t. But don''t do me any favours and come, eat the dinner, drink a few drinks, and then take off.

Wow. I''ve become bitter in the last few days. Sorry. haha

We have a cousin who isn''t coming to the ceremony but is coming to the dinner and I guarantee he will leave early. That makes me sooooo angry.

Anyways, back on point. I don''t think the cake cutting is too late. As long as it is before the general dancing, you are good. I only say that because if you do it once dancing/boozing starts, the moment might be ''lost''. Plus your photogs might want to go home. ha.

Sorry for the rage. :-)
 
Are you planning on serving the cake as everyone''s dessert? The only problem is that if you cut/serve cake after the dancing has already started, not everyone will get to try it. It might be a waste of cake because presumably the staff will put a slice at every seat, and some people might have already left or they''re too busy dancing to eat it! That''s what I''d be worried about.
 
Thanks everyone. We''re going with the "compromised" timeline--the mother/son father/daughter dance will happen immediately after dinner, followed by the cake cutting.


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I just skimmed this post... and I wanted to say haha to the unsolicited DJ advice. Mine is even a friend of mine and he''s trying to tell me what to do, blech!

Anyways my timeline is going to be like yours even though my planner and dj are giving me grief about the first dance being before dinner... I have no idea why they seem to think we''ll lose all momentum after dinner. It''s not like there won''t be a couple of dances afterwards!

We were going to break up the toasts though until after dinner... I''m wondering if that''s good or not though. Hrmmm.... maybe i''ll post my proposed timeline. Yours has me thinking!
 
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