Are you wondering what a typical wedding reception timeline looks like? I’m going to explain it below. We as DJs are the main ones who carry out these timelines especially if there is no wedding coordinator.
This example is going to be for a pretty standard, normal, traditional wedding reception timeline. For your wedding however, you have the option of making yours be a traditional or a non traditional wedding reception timeline.
Also in this example we’ll make this a five hour wedding reception. Not all of the events in this timeline have to be done and you can also add things to it if you need to.
The Traditional Wedding Reception Timeline
We are at a point when the wedding ceremony has ended and either guests immediately go to the reception or the reception is at another location. Either way, the ceremony has ended.
6:00 pm
6:50 pm
6:55 pm
7:00 pm
8:00 pm
8:30 pm
8:40 pm
8:45 pm
8:50 pm
8:55 pm
9:00 pm
9:45 pm
9:50 pm
10:55 pm
Cocktail Hour
Grand Entrance of the Newlyweds
Blessing for Dinner
Dinner
Toasts
Cake Cutting
First Dance
Father/Bride Dance
Groom/Mother Dance
Anniversary Dance
Open Dance
Bouquet Toss
Garter Toss
Last Dance
Click here for a detailed pdf version of this wedding reception timeline with instructions.
The dollar dance was not included in this timeline since it is not as popular anymore but if you were going to decide to do it, you would place it after the anniversary dance and push out the bouquet and garter tosses a little bit.
Let DUBREEZY ENTERTAINMENT take care of your wedding DJ entertainment needs. We will go over in detail with you each item on this timeline so you have nothing to worry about come your wedding day from the entertainment aspect of it.
Contact us now to let us help you make this reception timeline come to life at your wedding.
photo credit: Ron Mader
