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I gave our MC/DJ and our caterer a timeline of when specific events should happen. For example, we knew how long dinner would take so we kinda planned everything around that block of time. Here's an example of what our timeline looked like (things didn't end up exactly on schedule, which was ok):
5:00 pm - Guests start arriving. DJ, please direct guests to the deck for cocktails and appetizers.
5:50 pm - DJ, please direct guests inside to their tables. Announcement of newlyweds in 10 minutes.
6:00 pm - Please announce the new Mr. and Mrs. Spring. Play [insert song title here]. Then, please announce the newlyweds' first dance to [insert song title here]. Caterer, please have the first course plated and ready to go.
6:15 pm - The bride and groom will welcome the guests. Caterer, when they sit down, the first course can be served. The bride and groom should be served both courses at the same time.
6:35 pm - DJ, please remind parents about their toasts/speeches.
6:45 pm - DJ, please announce each toast and hand the mike to the appropriate person. Mrs. Spring's Dad, Mr. Spring's Dad, then Mrs. Spring's mom (about 5 minutes per toast). Caterer, the second course should be plated and ready to go.
7:00 pm - Caterer, please serve the second course. The bride and groom will get up at this time to greet guests table by table.
8:00 pm - DJ, please announce the father/daughter and mother/son dance to [insert song title here].
8:05 pm - DJ, please announce the cutting of the cake [insert song title here]. Caterer, please be prepared to cut and serve the cake.
8:10 pm - DJ, please announce that the dance floor is open.
9:45 pm - DJ, please announce the last dance, [insert song title here]. Caterer, please turn on house lights.
Wow thank you so much Mrs Spring! That will help a lot. We have a buffet style dinner, should we do toasts and speeches after everyone is seated?
We also are having a hard time because of the timing of our wedding. The ceremony is at 1, I expect it to last till 2, then the pictures for another 45 mins to an hour. So we should arrive around 3ish to the reception. Is 4pm too early for dinner? The guests will have been munching on the hors d'evouvres (sp?) from about 2pm. We wonder if its good to wait till 5, but if we do that, what to do with the time in between our arrival and dinner? Is dancing appropriate at that point, or weird?
Ohhhh questions. Probably a good reason to hire a DOC but we just can't swing it (hence the iPod, no DJ). Thanks again for the input!
I can tell you what I'd do in your situation, but really you can change the schedule to whatever suits you! :)
I think toasts and speeches are nice during dinner, because I tend to get bored during formal dinners, and I have a problem eating and carrying on a conversation. Speeches give me an out to not converse with others but still be entertained while I'm shoving food in my mouth. With a buffet, I think it would appropriate to do toasts and speeches after all of the tables have been given a chance to visit the buffet once. People still might get up to go get second helpings, but it'll be less interrupted that way.
If you would like to push back your dinner start time from 4 to 5, you can do all the other reception stuff (first dance, cake cutting, parents' dance, bouwuet todd/garter toss) at 4 pm. By the time you get done with all that stuff, you can open up the buffet line at about 5. Then after dinner would just be time to dance and party instead of doing all the traditional things. I also think it would be totally appropriate to open up the dance floor from 4-5, but you might not get many takers that early in the evening.
We're providing copious amounts of alcohol and have some rowdy and fun loving uncles and cousins who we are hoping will lead the way on the dance floor. We are also hoping (fingers crossed) to get our hands on a touch tunes juke box which would allo guests to pick music to dance to. Much more motivating for them!
Thanks for the advice again! I will have to talk to the caterer about keeping the main meal that long after arriving and setting up the hors d'eouvres. We are having an outdoor wedding, so we'll see. I am not too worried just don't want to be eating at an awkward time. Although, I think 4 wouldn't be too bad. Maybe even 4:30. I can't believe its less than 40 days away o.O!!
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Hi all Bees! My fiance and I are not having a DJ at our reception. To do the MCing we have asked a close friend of ours, and he accepted enthusiastically. He will be in charge of all announcements and the iPod. The only thing is, we have no idea what we need to do to prepare him (and neither does he, haha)! I know the typical stuff like announcing our entrance, when the dances are going to happen, dinner time, etc. But its more the timing that we don't know how to plan.
Do we just make a list of things he needs to cover and tell him to do the things on the list when he thinks its appropriate? Or maybe a loose timeline? Does anyone know of a sample of something like this anywhere?
Thanks for any help and advice!