The Best Order Of Events For Your Reception

May 17

Imagine you’re halfway through your wedding day… your ceremony went off without a hitch, your marriage license is signed and sealed, your family and bridal party photos were perfect, and now you’re onto reception.

There are still a handful of formalities ahead of you like cutting your cake, speeches, and first dances, but the best order to tackle these traditions may not be super obvious at first. So today I’m going to break this down for you with the help of my fellow wedding professional, Chris, from Christopher London DJ Service.

I often joke with my couples that once we arrive at reception, us photographers pass the torch to your DJ to call the shots for the remainder of the evening. So Chris and I put our heads together to formulate the perfect reception flow… and here’s what we came up with!

Cocktail Hour - More and more couples are requesting to pop into their cocktail hour before grand entrance, and I am 100% here for it. With careful planning, and especially if you’re doing a first look, there’s really no reason NOT to enjoy 20 minutes of your own cocktail hour. You did pay for those snacks after all may as well have one!
Grand Entrance - Begin your grand entrance by introducing your parents. They deserve their moment amiright!? Then of course your bridal party. I personally think first names here are fine to keep it casual and to cut back on mispronunciation. I’ve also seen the bridal party announced as a group and enter all that once “entourage” style. Very hype! Then comes your ring bearer and flower girl, and last the bride and groom!
Cake Cutting - I suggest heading straight to the cake table after your grand entrance while the energy is still hype, and all eyes are on you. This is helpful for the catering staff too, because now they can remove your cake and plate it while guests are eating dinner, just in time to serve it for dessert!
Speeches & Toasts - After you wipe that cake off your lips, head to your head table to sit down for speeches. Quick tip here - don’t let your venue talk you into serving salad during speeches. All that clanking dishwear will be very distracting for the already nervous speakers.
Dinner Hour - Now that our hearts are warm after hearing the touching words of the bride’s father, it’s time to eat! If I can offer you any advice here it’s this - sit down and eat! It’s temping to get up and walk around, greet those guests you haven’t seen yet… but I encourage you to slow down for a minute and enjoy your first meal as husband and wife!
Father/Daughter + Mother/Son Dances - Now that we’re all fed and happy, it’s time to party! A great way to break the energy from a mellow dinner hour to the dance floor is with your formal dances. DJ Chris recommends doing your formal dances with your parents first. This way any stragglers at the bar or outside will make their way back before the big first dance!
First Dance - It’s your moment! Soak it up! Word to the wise - be present and feel into your very first dance with your spouse. Avoid chatting logistics, or discussing who else you need to thank… I have to cut far too many first dance photos because the couples have “talk mouth”. Better to smile and enjoy!
Sunset Sparklers - Notice I didn’t call this a “sparkler exit” because in truth your party will rage on well after you step out with your photographer for sparklers. However this is a great way to button up your wedding gallery with a “farewell into the sunset” type of image. I recommend grabbing your bridal party and immediately family for this activity, as to not disrupt the reception dance floor too much.