It’s time to discuss the last events of the evening for you fabulous, intimate wedding day! The reception is something to look forward to, from the

Cocktail Hour

Cocktail hour is an hour in-between the ceremony and reception for guests to enjoy and mingle with beer, wine, signature drinks, and light appetizers. This extra time in the evening can be an aid in the photography schedule so that as guests wait for your portraits to finish, they are still entertained and fed.

If you do not intend to serve alcohol at your wedding, you can shorten the cocktail hour to even 30 minutes.

View the Reception Decor

Once you enter your reception, you’ll be too busy mingling with guests that you won’t have time to take in all of the work that was put into designing your reception decor. Take a couple of minutes before the cocktail hour ends and get your photographer to capture your first look at the reception decor! These are moments you’ll want to remember — and it helps you write amazing thank you cards later!

The Reception

Formal Entrances

One way to enter is the band or DJ will announce the wedding party, with you as the finale. You can go straight into first dances or dinner.

First Dances

This is a sweet time for the bride & groom to have their first dance, as well as father/daughter & mother/son. You can mix this up by doing a surprise dance routine or even inviting step-parents to join in. A couple of dress twirls are a must!

Food / Toasts / Cutting the Cake

While some opt for a formal sit-down dinner, others do buffet style or finger foods. You can do toasts as well as time to cut the cake! Personalized cake cutters or champagne glasses are always fun!

Dancing

Whether it’s a killer DJ with a fun light set up or a large 9 piece band engaging with your guests, everyone will have a great time! Fun add-ins include glow sticks, fog machines, photo booths, and even bubbles!

Bouquet, Garter, Last Dance, Exit

Feel like ending the night with a bang? What starts this is the bouquet toss, garter toss, the last dance, and a formal exit. Some opt for a “faux” exit to have the most amount of people there with anything from sparklers, fireworks, bubbles, confetti, or glow sticks. Ask venue for restrictions.

Tips and Tricks

The way-too-drunk guest. There will always be at least one guest that over-indulges just a little too much and although it normally wouldn’t bother you on a regular Saturday night, this is your wedding. The solution: Make sure your bartenders understand that you want guests to have fun and be able to have a drink or two, but that you do not want them to go overboard. Ask if there are any precautions you can take to make sure this doesn't happen. Still, it's possible that one may slip through the cracks. Try to have late-night bites so at 11 p.m., everyone isn't running solely on alcohol and sugar from the cake. Another tip is to have taxis on call or a shuttle that can take people home early if need be.

Guest music requests. Do you just cringe when you hear the YMCA at a wedding or want to make sure that your 90-year-old grandma doesn’t have to listen to "Get Low?" While special requests can be great (it keeps guests on the dance floor), it depends on the song choices that are being thrown out there. The solution: Make sure your DJ knows the vibe that you want for your wedding by providing them with "must play" and "do not play" lists. If a guest comes up and requests a song on the latter list, your DJ will find a creative way to suggest something else and keep the party going.