Wedding Times

We all have a vague idea of what a wedding reception actually is. It’s the celebration after the ceremony and a time for everyone to come together and share in the love and joy with the newlyweds. Wedding receptions can be anything from an afternoon tea to a grand bash held until all hours of the night complete with dancing and cocktails. Whatever the style of wedding reception, there are some basic elements that each consists of. And while you can tweak these elements to fit your reception specifically, it’s good to know what they are so you can make sure you don’t miss anything and that your reception is the beautiful celebration you’ve always dreamed of! Here are the most basic components to any wedding reception.

The Receiving Line

The receiving line is the line that the bride and groom, along with each set of parents and perhaps even the wedding party, stand in at the entrance to the reception area. This gives people a chance to introduce people who don’t know each other and of course, it gives the guests a chance to personally congratulate the couple. Small receptions often don’t have a receiving line but if this is something you choose, it’s important to make sure that you personally say hello to each guest.

Cocktails and Dinner

Whether you are having a small potluck reception or a huge seated meal, you may want to consider a seating chart. This eliminates the chaos of people having to find seats and getting them to quiet down when the meal is ready to be served. If having a seating plan seems too structured to you, you can design a seating chart that places guests at a certain table but allows them to choose which actual seat they take.

A cocktail hour lasting 45 – 60 minutes before the meal can be a nice transition from the receiving line to the meal. It will provide guests who have passed through the receiving line already something to do while they wait for the rest of the guests to arrive in the reception area. If you decide on a cocktail hour, it’s especially important to have a seating chart. Guests may want somewhere to put down their coats, wedding programs, or anything else while they mingle.

The Toasts

After dinner, everyone in the wedding party generally is given a chance to toast the new bride and groom. The first toast is usually given by the best man, followed by the groom and then the bride. It’s especially important that the bride and groom take this time to thank everyone for coming and traditionally, particularly their parents for all of their love and support. Once the bride has given her toast, the wedding party can also give toasts if you like. The maid-of-honor would give her toast, followed by all of the groomsmen, followed by the bridesmaids.

The Dance

Of course when you think of a wedding reception, you can’t help but think of a huge ball-like dance. While this is often true, there’s also a particular order here. The bride and groom traditionally dance to the first dance and no one else dances during this time. After this or at a later point in the reception, the mother/son dance and father/daughter dance will take place.

Last Details

Towards the end of the reception, snacks may be brought out, especially if it’s been a particularly long night, and the cake will be cut. After this, the bouquet toss will take place as well as the garter toss. Once these last few things have been taken care of, you may wish to stay until the end of the reception or you can make an early getaway. Whichever you choose, make sure you thank whoever you see on your way out for coming or helping.