Wedding Day scheduling is probably more important for the first half of the day which consists of the ceremony and wedding photography, so it’s easy to underestimate the significance of time management with respect to the Wedding Reception.

The two most important factors in determining a workable and flowing Reception schedule are: (a) Is there a Receiving Line? (b) The amount, length and time of the Speeches.

In the absence of a Receiving Line, there should be a lot of flexibility with the plan.  Now, some couples put the Receiving Line just after the Ceremony (ie) inside the Church.  In this situation, the time allocated for the photography, including, Family, Wedding Party and Couple Shots could irretrievably lost if the Receiving Line takes too long.  Then, depending on the remaining time, the Newlywed’s pictures may be compromised in order for them to make it to the Reception on time – and these are the last pictures you want to hurry through.

Back to the Reception.  It of starts at about 5:30.  Guests begin to arrive.  Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are consumed.  Dinner is frequently served at 7:00.

Let’s say you start the Receiving Line at 5:30.  How long will it take?  Depends on the number of people.  Most weddings will have about 150 guests.  If you and/or your guests are chatty you might be looking at 7:00.  On average, if you calculate half a minute per guest, then it will take 75 minutes.  If there are 250 guests or more, you might be in trouble (ie) Dinner is pushed, which could affect the quality of the meal.

For the wedding photographer, it’s a non-issue if there is a Receiving Line or not, or how how much time it takes.  The job is to photograph whatever is happening.  What Undoubtedly, though, is that the Receiving Line can be exhausting for the Newlyweds – who have been going for many hours already, have experienced the intensity of the ceremony, and have spent a couple of hours on their photos.  Now, they are expected to stand and greet people for a long time, with permanent smiles throughout.  By the end of it, most Couples are drained.  At least dinner is right around the corner.

For many cultures, the Receiving Line is a must. Certainly, for those in this situation, because it is simply a normal part of the day, having a Receiving Line may even be fun.  However, if you can, you may be partial to foregoing it.

What do you get by avoiding the Receiving Line?  (1) The Bride & Groom can take time to chill out and regroup once they arrive at the Reception Hall.  After freshening up they can actually be a part of the Cocktail hour – instead of having to spend the entire time rooted to one spot; (2) Participating in the Cocktail hour with their guests will allow them to connect in a more special way than in the Receiving Line (ie) more creative wedding photos; (3) In lieu of the Receiving Line, the Newlyweds can also greet people at their tables between dinner courses.

Next item up for discussion is Speeches.  How many and how long?  Invariably, most say there will be few and they won’t be long.  While that is sometimes the case, by the time the Wedding Day happens there are frequently more Speeches than originally factored, and you can usually expect one Speech that is surprisingly long.  Remember too that once Speeches commence, there has already been a good amount of liquor consumption.

So, when is the best time to have the Speeches?  Well, a sit-down dinner that usually takes about 2 hours.  Speeches usually take anywhere from 30-60 minutes.  Consequently, if you are planning on having the Speeches after dessert everyone will be sitting on their butts for around 3 hours – at least.  That can suck the life out of the action before it has even started.  Having the Speeches spaced out throughout dinner works very nicely, culminating with the happy couple speaking while dessert is served.  That way, at the end of their speech, the party is on.

If Speeches begin after dinner the crowd might become fidgety and leave the room – which can be disruptive and even disappointing.  Furthermore, most Couples have their First Dance at the close of the Speeches.  If the Speeches occur during dinner then as the guests are eating dessert the Newlyweds can speak and then head straight to the dance floor and have their First Dance.  In this case, almost everyone will still be seated or in the room.  Conversely, if the Speeches are given after dinner then by the time they finish and it’s time for the First Dance, you may have a half-full room on your hands.

By the way, some Couples decide to have their First Dance just before dinner.  Here, they have a captive audience and all eyes are on them.  One possible drawback is if the space is naturally well-lit it is usually still bright at about 7pm which may not be as dramatic as evening lighting.

Now, by Reception time the Bride and Groom have been up since early morning.  A lot of energy has been spent.  So, developing a Reception Schedule that flows nicely and isn’t burdensome can help put an exclamation mark on what should be a glorious day.

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