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Reception Checklist

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1- 2 Hours Before Reception

• 3:00 Caterer arrives
• 3:15 Florist arrives to set up table centerpieces and other floral arrangements.
• 3:30 DJ arrives and sets up his equipment.
• 3:40 Wedding Coordinator arrives to set up place cards, favors, toasting flutes, cake knife, guest book with pen and basket or other holder for the money envelopes.
• 3:45 Wedding cake arrives and is set up. Florist to provide flowers and greenery to the cake designer, who will arrange flowers on and around the wedding cake.

First Hour of Reception

• 5:00 Wedding guests arrive. Cocktail hour begins. Waiters serve trays of champagne and hors d'oeuvres to guests.
• 5:15 Bride & Groom arrive and are escorted outside to take formal photographs on the lawn. All family members and wedding party gather outside for photographs.
• Make sure all the family members and wedding attendants know where and when! You don't want to waste any time trying to track down people to be in pictures.
• 5:20 Bride, Groom and family members take formal photographs.

Second Hour of Reception

• 6:00 Bride and Groom, wedding party and parents of bride and groom gather in side room to "line up" for announcements.
• Line up in order... groom's parents first, then bride's parents, flower girl and ring bearer, bridesmaids escorted by ushers, maid of honor escorted by best man and then the bride and groom.
• 6:05 DJ will make formal announcements.
• 6:10 Bride and Groom's first dance. Caterer begins serving champagne to the tables for the champagne toast.
• 6:20 Cocktail hour ends. Cash bar begins. DJ to announce that dinner is served and ask that all guests be seated.
• DJ introduces person who will say the blessing.
• 6:25 DJ introduces the Best Man who will give the toast to the bride and groom.
• 6:30 Dinner is served.

Third Hour of Reception

• 7:00 Bride & Groom cut the cake.
• 7:15 DJ announces Bride to dance with her father
• 7:25 DJ announces Groom to dance with his mother.
• 7:35 DJ announces wedding party dance.
• 7:40 DJ plays song. Bride and Groom and wedding party dances. DJ invites all guests to join in.
• 7:45 Cake and coffee are served to guests.

Fourth Hour of Reception

• 8:00 DJ announces the Bride’s bouquet toss.
• 8:15 Garter toss
• 8:45 Bride and Groom’s last dance
• 9:00 Bride and Groom say goodnight and leave for honeymoon destination or hotel.
• 9:15 Parents of the Bride gather all the gifts, wedding presents and other items