u/Internal-Shelter9411

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on Reddit, so please bear with me if I’m doing this a little clumsily.

I’m getting married in just over two months, and we’re trying to finalize the reception timeline. My mom has been a huge help with planning, especially since I’ve never organized so much as a birthday party before this.

I shared my proposed timeline with her: 4pm ceremony, then a short cocktail hour (just about 30 minutes to set up the sweetheart table and touch base with the DJ). We’re doing a first look, so we can get photos out of the way early and avoid disappearing for an hour during the wedding. After that, the DJ would announce seating, and my fiancé and I would make our entrance? with the bridal party, but since everything is happening in the same room as the ceremony, I’m not quite sure how that would work.

Next, we’d have our first dance, followed by the father/daughter and mother/son dances, and then speeches, before opening dinner around 5:30–6:00. My mom suggested letting guests get their food first so they won’t be restless during the dancing and speeches. I’m a little concerned that if they eat first, people might be up and socializing, going to the restroom, or talking instead of paying attention to the speeches and dances.

I’d love to hear how you’ve structured your future or past timelines for your receptions, what order worked for you and why, and any advice you have on the flow of events. Thank you so much for your input!

Hi everyone, first time every making a reddit post so forgive me if I don't know how this works.

I'm getting married in just over 2 months, and we're tying to build our timeline for the reception. My mother is helping A LOT with planning as I've never so much as planned a birthday party before this. I gave her my proposed timeline which was ceremony, cocktail hour (more like 30 minutes tops to set up the sweetheart table and speak to the DJ and stuff quickly as we are doing a first look to get pictures out of the way so we don't have to disappear for an hour during our wedding and there's no rush on pictures), and then the DJ would announce to take seats, my then husband and I would do our entrance I guess? with the bridal party? but it's weird because everything is happening in the same room as the ceremony so I'm not sure how that would even work..., then we'd have our first dance, then father/daughter and mother/son dances and speeches, and then we would open for dinner at around 5:30-6. My mother said that you should let people get their food first or they'll be antsy and won't pay attention/will be talking and getting up during the dancing and speeches but I thought if they had their food first they would be getting up to use the restroom and socializing more while they eat rather than paying attention to speeches and dances and such. I guess my question in here is what order are y'all doing/have you done and why/what's your advice on the procession of events. Thank you so much!