SUGGESTED ORDER OF EVENTS DURING WEDDING RECEPTION
1. Arrival of Guests: Soft Piano Music
It’s always nice to have soft music playing in the reception
area while drinks and light refreshments are served to guests
arriving before the wedding party. Your Master of Ceremonies
can make some announcements about when the wedding party
is expected to arrive and then make sure everyone is seated or
positioned correctly for the grand entrance.
2. Announcing Wedding Party: Upbeat & Celebratory
Instrumental Music
Your MC will announce the wedding party after making certain
all guests are correctly positioned. The wedding party should
be lined up in order of appearance outside the entrance to the
reception area. The traditional order is the groom's parents,
bride's parents, flower girl and ring bearer, bridesmaids
escorted by ushers, maid of honor escorted by best man, and
finally the bride & groom.
3. Positioning of Wedding Party & Group Photograph:
Music Continued
4. Seating of Wedding Party: Music Continued
Your MC welcomes everyone once again as the wedding party
is seated.
5. Champagne Toast
The toast should be done before the meal when all of your
guests are seated. Normally, the first toast is made by the best
man and may be followed by toasts from the maid of honor,
friends, relatives, or even by the bride and groom. Very often,
however, toasts by others can be made after dinner and during
the dance. Your MC will get everyone’s attention and introduce
the best man
6. The Blessing
Your MC will ask everyone to be seated and will introduce
whoever will say the blessing.
7. Instructions for the Meal
Your MC (or the banquet manager) will provide any instructions for the meal.
8. Serving the Meal: Soft Piano Music
The bride, groom and wedding party are the first to be served.
Soft piano music plays in the background during dinner.
9. Cutting the Cake: Instrumental Music
After the meal, the bride and groom cut the wedding cake
together hand over hand and feed each other the first piece.
Then the rest of the cake is cut and served to the guests.
Another option is to cut the cake and serve it later in the
evening.
10. Additional Toasts & Testimonials
While the cake is being cut and served by the staff, other
members of the wedding party or other guests may wish to
make toasts or short testimonials.
11. First Dance OF Bride & Groom: Personal Music Selection
After everyone has eaten their cake, the first dance of the bride
and groom marks their first dance as husband and wife.
Depending upon the number of guests, the MC could invite
everyone to outside of the dance floor to surround the bride
and groom with a show of love and support.
12. Father & Bride Dance: Personal Music Selection
13. Mother & Groom Dance: Personal Music Selection
14. Dance of Entire Wedding Party: Personal Music
Selection
The groom may wish to dance with his mother-in-law while
the bride dances with her father-in-law. You may wish to skip
this step and invited everyone to dance if the number of guests
is small.
15. Welcome by Bride & Groom (Optional)
You may both step up to the microphone and welcome any
special family members, say thank you and welcome everyone.
You can also invite everyone to the dance floor.
16. Everyone Dances
Your MC (or you) invites everyone to the dance floor to dance.
17. Special Announcements
Your MC can make special announcements between songs and
let guests know the schedule. If you like, guests may come to
the microphone and make testimonials, but this is up to you.
18. Bouquet & Garter Toss: Optional Music
The bride tosses her bouquet to a group of single women and
the groom removes the bride's garter and tosses it to a group
of single men. Sometimes, these events are done before
dinner. You may wish to skip this tradition if you have a small
number of guests.
19. Bride & Groom's Last Dance: Personal Music
Selection
If the bride and groom plan to leave before the end of the
reception, this is their last dance together before departing
the reception.
20. Last Dance of the Evening
The MC will make an announcement when it’s getting near to
the end of the reception and will announce the last dance. He
should also thank any family members who are still at the
reception.
