order of Reception

[fallbride]

I am filling out the DJ form. He wants to know what order we want things to happen. Here is the order he has....is this right? (I can change if we want)
1. Cutting Cake
2. Bridal Dance
3. Garter and Bouquet
4. Parents Dance with Bride

[Robyn Lynn]

That sounds good, but I would maybe do
1. cutting cake
2. first dance
3. parents dance
4. garter and bouquet toss

I would keep the dances together.

[fallbride]

That is what I thought.

[555Ann555]

The second order is how we did it too...

[wynelle]

Is there dinner involved in the reception?

Do you care if people dance between courses?

Introduction of wedding party--- leading into

First Dance of Bride and Groom

FOB/bride..MOG/Groom...rest of wedding party

Seating for dinner

After dinner...

Cutting of Cake

Toasts

More Dancing

[fallbride]

Yes we are having dinner there. I like that order, but I think I move up the toast some.

[whiddle]

We had our
1. Introduction
2. First Dances
3. Dinner
4. Cake Cutting
5. Garter/Bouquet Toss

*I wouldn't want to cut cake before Dinner.

[birdie]

I think the cutting of the cake should come later - you spent all that money on a beautiful cake! Let people see it before they eat it!

I think we are doing something like the last couple of orders.

[wedbyjean]

Here is the order he has....is this right?

Guess what? THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY! Yes, all caps, I know it's yelling, but I can't stress this point enough.

I have done weddings where the cake cutting was first, (it doesn't mean that the cake has to disassembled, cut & served right then and there), others where the first dance was first, and others where the best man's toast came first immediately followed by dinner. Each one was different, but each was definitely "right" for that particular bride and groom and their wedding.

Think about the different possible scenarios, and decide which will work best for you, your guests and your wedding.

[labeadel]

We did:

Introduction
Toasts
Dinner
Cake cutting
First Dance
Other Dances

(no garter or bouquet toss)

[syringa]

As WedbyJean mentioned, do what seems right for you. You can modify the order of events as needed. Some couples omit toasts; others omit first dances, but nearly everyone has a cake (or pie or kuchen or etc.) that they want to cut and serve.

The one constraint in the timing is the time that the photographer will leave. When I help a couple create their schedule, we work backward from the time that the photographer leaves to be certain to include all of the photos that they want. Most couples don't care about photos of the bouquet and garter toss (in fact, in my area couples are more and more opting to do an anniversary dance to give away the bouquet and not a bouquet toss), but they do like photos of toasts, cake cutting, and first dances.