Reception Order

We did our entrance and then went straight to dinner and did the special dances after. It worked great! I wanted to do it that way because I hate being a starving guest at weddings and having to sit through several long dances before getting to eat!

We are going to do our first dance right after after introductions, then lunch, then the parents dance.
The DOC said is was up to us, we decided to do the first dance right after intros bc it’s heavily coordinated.

Our plan is very casual... After the ceremony the guests will head to reception site while we finish up pictures. There will be beverages and a popcorn bar and lawn games, board games, and stuff while they're waiting. Then we show up, give a brief welcome/thank you message and start eating. There will be music during the dinner so if people want to dance feel free. After dinner we'll do the "official first dance". And play more music and games. We're not doing the other traditional things - parent dance, bouquet/garter toss, dollar dance, speeches or any of that. After awhile of partying we'll cut the cake and keep dancing and having fun.

We are being introduced and immediately doing our 1st dance and then dinner. We're not having any other "special" dances. After dinner we'll open up the dance floor.

It’s completely normal to have dinner before dances and other reception events!!! I’d also like to say that if that’s how you want to do it, do it because ultimately it is your wedding and don’t let those comments get to you!

We are doing dinner/toasts first then dances.

We did dinner before dances. Our first dance and dances with parents opened up the dance floor for the night.

After the ceremony we are taking pictures our guest are going to be getting in line for their food ,finding their table, and getting their drinks. Then we do our grande entires, eat, cake cut, first dances, maybe gater toss and bouquet(still debating), then opening up the dance floor for the rest of the night. At one of my friends it was eat dance then dance cake cut it was to much getting up and down that I quiet dancing because we would have to seat back down to do something else. I’m doing all my events that way it’s clear when the dance floors opens!

We wanted to get all of the toasts and dances out of the way at the beginning of the night, so at our reception we did intros/first dance/father daughter dance/toasts, then dinner. I didn’t wanna ask our guests to sit through more formalities after dinner - it was time to party! We also had a super heavy cocktail hour before the reception and knew people would be able to use a break from eating lol.

We're not 100% committed, but as of now we're planning to do an entrance, our first dance, then parent dances, then eat. I honestly think either order is fine. We'll have some bites for people during cocktail hour, and we're also planning to cut all the songs short because we know no one enjoys sitting and watching a couple sway for 4 minutes haha

We are planning to do things a bit different and our reception will be more of a cocktail type reception with 2 food trucks for dinner. So after ceremony fiance and I plan to sneak off for some alone time. Guests will grab some drinks and make their way into the barn and to their seats. We will have edible center pieces and some wine at the table. Guests will take a seat, eat a little bit we will be introduced, go right into first dance, do the other dances, a quick thank you speech from us, cut the cake, and on to food trucks to start serving. I think this will work out the best for us since the food trucks will need like an hour to set up. I would rather them not set up during our ceremony, so doing a like reverse cocktail hour and getting all that other stuff out of the way will allow them to set up in private.

From what I remember, whilst dinner is being eaten, the serving part has concluded, speeches will commence as they wind down and then afterwards, the cutting of the cake and the dancing takes place. Honestly, do you, its your day. If you want to dance FIRST or LAST, its how you have dreamed it to be and want it to be.

View Quoted Comment That's a great idea!! I love the food trucks too!! That's so different and original and sounds super fun for your guests too!! So I have to ask, what kind of centerpieces are you having?? When I read that your centerpieces we're eatable I was totally intrigued!!

Reception started at 6 so everyone was already having drinks and appetizers when we got introduced at 7pm.Then a bit of dancing, second course, while dancing some more. Dinner was served, speeches, cake cutting, first dances. Then dessert and more dancing😂 and of course the bouquet toss!

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Thinking of doing crudite/charcuterie spreads

option 1

Option 2

View Quoted Comment Those are such cool ideas. Both sides of FH and my family love a good game of cornhole so we will have that and basically just do the same thing as you guys. We found a moblie photobooth we can set up ourselves so our guests will have a lot of fub with that.

View Quoted Comment Oh wow!! I love those!! How original!! I would have never thought of that!! I love them both but option #1 is my fave!! It looks more full!! Great idea!! Congratulations and good luck to ya!! I know everything will turn out beautiful!!

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I like this option more. we are having cocktail hour, those are snacks to basically hold them over until dinner. lol

I did the first dance before the dinner because of the grand entrance all eyes were already on us anyway

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Our cocktail hour will start at 4:30, in that time family photos will be done. Grand entrance at 5:30 and dinner will follow. My dad said he didn't want to dance on a full stomach, however, I also don't expect him to dance on a empty stomach either