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Wedding Day timing considerations are arguably more crucial for the earlier part of the day which consists of the ceremony and wedding photography, so it’s easy to miscalculate the importance of time management when it comes to the Wedding Reception.

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

In the absence of a Receiving Line, its all good.  Keep in mind, some couples put their Receiving Line right after the Ceremony (ie) inside the Church.  In this situation, the time allocated for the photos, including, Family, Wedding Party and Couple Shots could be adversely affected if the Receiving Line takes too much time.  Then, depending on how much time there is, the Newlywed’s pictures may be compromised in order for them to make it to the Reception on schedule – and you really don’t want to be stressed out for these important pix.

Back to the Reception.  5:30 is a typical starting time.  Guests begin showing up.  Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are consumed.  Dinner is usually served at 7pm.

Let’s say you start the Receiving Line at 5:30.  How long will it take?  Depends on the quantity of people.  Most weddings will have arond 150 guests.  If you and/or your guests are chatty it could easily take until 7:00.  On average, if you guesstimate 30 seconds per guest, then it will take 75 minutes.  If there are 250 guests or more, there may be issues (ie) Supper is pushed, which will threaten the quality of the food.

For the wedding photography, it’s basically irrelevant if there is a Receiving Line or not, or how how much time it takes.  Anything and everthing will be photographed.  What cannot be denied, though, is that the Receiving Line can be exhausting for the Newlyweds – who have been going for many hours already, have been through the ceremony, and have done all their photos.  Now, they are expected to stand and welcome people for an extended period of time, with permanent smiles throughout.  At the end, most Couples are toast.  At least dinner is right around the corner.

For many cultures, the Receiving Line is a must. No doubt, for these folks, because it is just a natural and expected part of the day, having a Receiving Line may even be enjoyable.  However, if you can, you may like foregoing it.

What do you get by steering clear of the Receiving Line?  (1) The Couple can take time to chill out and regroup once they arrive at the Reception Hall.  After freshening up they can hang out with their guests who are having cocktails and hors d’oeuvres – instead of having to spend the entire time standing in one spot; (2) Participating in the Cocktail hour with their guests will allow them to connect in a more meaningful way than in the Receiving Line (ie) more creative wedding photography; (3) In absence of the Receiving Line, the Newlyweds can also connect with their guests at their tables between dinner courses.

The next part of the Reception which can really affect the timetable concerns the Speeches.  How many and how long?  Invariably, most say there won’t be many and they will be short.  While that can be true, by the time the Wedding Day happens there are frequently more Speeches than initially counted on, and you can usually look forward to one Speech that is surprisingly long.  Remember too that once Speeches happen, there has already been a decent amount of liquor consumption.

So, when should you do the Speeches?  Well, a sit-down dinner that usually takes about 2 hours.  Speeches usually take anywhere from 30-60 minutes.  So, if you are planning on having the Speeches after dessert everyone will be stationary for up to 3 hours – possibly longer if dinner and/or speeches take.  That can deaden the action before it has even begun.  Having the Speeches interspersed throughout dinner works beautifully, concluding with the happy couple speaking as dessert is served.  That way, once dessert is finished, the party is on.

If Speeches start following dinner the guests might become impatient and leave the room – which can be disruptive and even disheartening.  Furthermore, lets not forget about the First Dance.  If the Speeches take place throughout dinner then as the guests are finishing dessert the Newlyweds can say a few, or a lot of, words and then head straight to the dance floor and have their First Dance.  In this case, almost non one will have left the room.  On the other hand, if the Speeches are done after dinner then you might end up with a half-empty room on your hands.

Note that some Couples decide to have their First Dance when they enter the room at the beginning of dinner.  Here, everyone is seated and all eyes are on them.  One possible drawback is if there are windows in the room it is usually still light at about 7pm which may not be as dramatic as evening lighting.

Take into consideration that by Reception time the Bride and Groom have been up since the wee hours.  A lot of energy has been expended.  So, creating a Reception Schedule that flows smoothly can help put the right finishing touch on what should be a magnificent day.