Reception Order of Events

I think they usually do the cake cutting earlier so the kitchen has time to cut the rest of it before it's served. I've often seen that done right before dinner.

We're also doing our first dance after dinner. The coordinator said they recommend that because it's a good way to transition from dinner to dancing, but it's not uncommon to do it before if that's what you want.

View Quoted Comment I was iffy on the cake timing, that makes sense. It was recommended to me to do the first dance after we enter because we're already on the floor.

This is how ours looks.
We're doing the cake cutting later so that people can digest their meal a bit and we get to keep the photographer a little longer.

Ours will be that same line up, except we will cut the cake before opening the dance floor up to guests simply so that the kitchen has time to cut the cake and set up our display table! I think if your kitchen/ servers don't have a preference than you can do the way you have it set, just fine!

You're allowed to change your timeline based on what flows best for you. My husband didn't like the idea of stacking all the events together. He wanted to enjoy the appetizer time with guests too. We were able to use that time to mingle and thank guests for attending. So my timeline looked like:

6-7 appetizers

6- guests arrive

6:10- entrance

6:15- first dance

6:20-toasts

6:20-7 free time

7-8 dinner

7:30 mother-son dance

7:45 anniversary dance

8:30 cake cutting

9 reception ended

We’ll be doing the first dance after dinner as a way of opening up the dance floor, and I didn’t want to rush every thing at the start of the reception.

cocktail hour with apps
grand entrance
welcome/thank you speech (short and sweet)
dinner is served (buffet)
toasts over dinner
cake cutting
first dance
father daughter dance (All father/daughters invited to join after ~30 sec /1 min)
mother son dance (^)
open dance floor
Dancing

Following, also overwhelmed and frazzled!

You can do whatever order you like. We will be doing the following:
ceremony
cocktail hour
grand entrance
first dance
parent dances
MOH & BM speeches
dinner
dancing
cake

This is our timeline so far (5 months left so it'll probably change a little bit)

4:30-4:50 Ceremony

4:50-5 Welcome Line

5-6 Cocktail Hour/Pics

6 Wedding Party Entrance

6:05-6:20 First Dance, Bride/Father Dance, Groom/Mother Dance

6:20 Dinner

6:50 Speeches

7:15-7:30 Shoe Game

7:30 Open Dance Floor

9 Cake Cutting/Dessert

9-10:30 More Dancing

The only thing I would move up is the cake cutting so that you can get the pics before your photographer leaves (1) and (2) so your guests arent waiting around for cake after dinner. I've been to weddings where cake was served hours after dinner instead of immediately afterwards, I want ours immediately so if guests want to leave they can.

I agree first dance right away... I haven't been to a wedding that had a grand entrance at the reception since I was like 9 so I don't remember it too well, but like if you don't go right into your first dance after the grand entrance, what do you do? Just sit down? I feel like that's so awkward hahaha. Maybe I'm missing something but, I do agree to me it seems doing the first dance right away makes sense. Then you can sit down and relax too

I am not doing a garter or bouquet toss but I feel like those are usually done later in the evening? I could be wrong though? But if something looks off to you, maybe it's that. Not sure what times you have planned for all these though

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Yes that's what we are doing... like right after we are introduced and come in

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Hahahah I screamed reading this !! Lol "What do you do just sit down!!"" I'm crying lol sooo funny. yeah that would be awkard

Following! I truly appreciate this being brought up!

What is an anniversary dance??

Our order of events is probably the strangest.

Ceremony

Cocktail Hour

Grand Entrance

Grace

Dinner

Toasts

Cake Cutting

First Dance

Mother & Son Dance (Groom)

Brother & Sister Dance (Bride)

Open Dance Floor

Tosses

Anniversary/Longevity Dance for Married couples

More Dancing

Reception ends

View Quoted Comment Where you have married couples dance and the D.J. or MC call out years of how long they've been married. Couples sit down one by one and eventually the couple married the longest is the last one standing. Took forever at a wedding I went to recently

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Oh I see! Yeah no we're not doing that

I can send you what my planner sent us!