afternoon,

I should be working but instead i am thinking about my Reception and in what order i should do things

The Pre dinner starts at 6pm and goes to 6:30pm after which i assume guests would be seated and parents and bridal party are introduced. This may take us to 6:45pm. I am trying to decide whether we do the cake cutting before entree or after..then we would have speeches after Entree and before main..when do we do the bridal waltz, After main or before main?? its all a bit confusing!

thanks for your help
Mel

Hope this works (and helps):

Time Event

1730 Guests begin arriving at reception venue
1800 Arrival drinks & canapes begin to be served
1840 Photograher arrives for reception shots
1840 Videographer arrives for reception footage
1845 MC directs guests upstairs to Harbour Room
1900 MC announces bridal party
1900 Cutting the cake
1900 MC announces buffet dinner procedure
1945 Dinner plates begin to be cleared
2000 MC commences speeches
2040 Dessert & cake served
2040 Bridal Waltz
2100 Father/Daughter, Mother/Son dance
2300 Tea/coffee served
2300 Video interviews with guests
2400 Reception concludes

We decided to cut the cake & do our speech just after we were introduced. That way we could stay sitting for the rest of the night till the bridal waltz (after dessert).

We are having a very similar format to what Leisa had. We wanted to get the formalities of the night over and done with earlier so that every one could relax and chat during meals and then get the party moving after dessert with the Bridal Dance first.

we went kind of like this

guests arrive and canapes
we arrived out the back and had canapes in another room (the bridal party that is)
guests seated
bridal party entrance
we then did a mock cutting of cake with photographer while entrees served
buffet main
proper cutting of the cake
dessert
speeches
bridal "waltz"
general dancing and merryment
tossing of bouquet and garter
more general dancing and merryment

I cant remember the time frames we went by but thats the order if it helps at all.