How Do Everyone Decide? A Summary on How to Plan the Flow of a Wedding Reception: Greetings, Entertainment, Toasts, and More.

2016.12.08 published

How is the [progress] of the wedding reception decided?

Hello, this is Nagisa from marry＊

The wedding reception has a specific [progression] that starts with the entrance of the bride and groom, followed by speeches from honored guests, toasts, cake cutting, outfit change, interlude, re-entry, and entertainment, among other things... The flow of the reception allows for an emotional and enjoyable wedding experience, and it is not an exaggeration to say that.

However, many people may never have considered the progression of a wedding and might not remember the flow of the weddings they attended as guests.

In this article, I will introduce how to [decide] the progression of the wedding reception. By thinking about “what kind of wedding do we want?” it should make discussions with your planner smoother♡ I will share with you the thought process I used to decide on the progression of my own wedding reception♩

@nagisa_marry

How to Decide the Progression of the Wedding Reception① Decide what you want to do＊

The first thing you want to decide when planning the progression of the wedding is [what you want to do at the reception]＊ There are so many possible activities at the reception♡ For example, cake cutting, guessing the color of the bridal dress, speeches from friends, entertainment, candle relay, dessert buffet, dozen roses ceremony, fruit liquor making, table rounds, surprises from the bride to the groom, and so on…＊

With countless activities to choose from, it can be tempting to want to do them all. However, since the time for the reception is limited, it's best to start by selecting about 2 to 5 activities that you definitely want to do and others that you want to include◎

@nagisa_marry

How to Decide the Progression of the Wedding Reception② Know the free time available during the reception

Once you've picked the activities you want to do, the next step is to consider the amount of free time you have during the reception (from the entrance of the bride and groom until they leave, not counting interludes if applicable)＊ The typical reception lasts around 2 and a half to 3 hours. The activities should fit into this limited time＊

However, not all of that time is freely usable! Generally, the freely usable time is around 20 to 40 minutes from “the entrance of the bride and groom until the outfit change,” and about 20 to 40 minutes again “from the outfit change until departure (including the bride’s reading of her letter).” In other words, you can freely use this 20 to 40 minutes for activities and such♡

Knowing how much free time you have will help you naturally decide which activities you particularly want to do!◎

@nagisa_marry

How to Decide the Progression of the Wedding Reception③ Consider when to do each activity

Once you know how much time you have for the activities, the next step is to consider "how much time each desired activity will take." For example, the cake cutting doesn’t take much time, about 5 minutes, and combined with the first bite and thanks bite, it should be fine within about 10 minutes＊

However, if you do a table round to take pictures at each guest table during re-entry, it could take at least 20 minutes if there are 10 tables. Thus, it may be difficult to fit in a dessert buffet that takes about 30 minutes after that event…

@nagisa_marry

Generally, it is preferable to have around 0 to 3 activities each for the first half of the reception leading up to the outfit change and for the second half after the outfit change＊ Let’s look at some examples from previous brides to illustrate:

Example 1: First half: Friends' speeches and bouquet presentation from children; Second half: Table rounds and entertainment

Example 2: First half: Cake cutting; Second half: Color dress guessing quiz and entertainment

Example 3: First half: None; Second half: Band performance and dessert buffet

In my case... the first half of the reception: bouquet presentation from children; the second half: live singing, color dress guessing quiz, table rounds, and entertainment.

Considering the combination of activities for the reception program is very important＊ If you try to cram too much in, guests won’t have a chance to enjoy their meal, which could be tiring for them. On the other hand, if there are no activities, people might think, “It didn’t feel like a wedding…”! Be sure to discuss this well with your partner and planner♡

@nagisa_marry

The progression of the reception can be managed by checking [what you want to do, how much time you have, and when to do each activity]. This will definitely facilitate discussions with your planner and help you grasp the image of the reception better♡

Come up with wonderful activities to create an enjoyable wedding for your guests♩

How did you find the tips for deciding on the reception activities? The activities and timeline of the wedding are so crucial that it’s not an exaggeration to say they are the key points of the reception, leaving a memorable impression on guests♡ Be sure to discuss “what should we do?” with your partner and consult a reliable planner!♩

@nagisa_marry