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Planning festivities for your elebration

By DIANE GLYNN

The events and procedures at a wedding reception are matters of individual preference and choice. There are no hard and fast rules.

Usually, following the ceremony, a receiving line is set up at the reception site, at which time the bride and groom meet and speak with their wedding guests. The newlyweds are commonly joined in the reception line by their parents, the best man and maid of honor and any special guests who attended the proceedings. Either before or after the wedding guests are received, the bride and groom should retire to an adjoining room, together with the wedding party, family members and special guests, for the formal wedding portraits. Plan on 15 minutes to an hour for the formal portraits, and approximately 20 to 30 minutes for the reception line introductions.

Reception lines are not as popular in some areas as others. Many couples today elect to have a grand entrance rather than the formal receiving line. This is less formal and takes less time. Since the bride and groom and their family may stay at the church for picture while most of guests will leave for the reception site, a grand entrance allows the wedding party to be introduced to guests that will be waiting at the reception site.

Typical proceedings at a wedding reception may include (in order):

• Introduction of the new couple by the Disc Jockey or best man.
• Informal visits by the bride and groom to the guests’ tables.
• A toast by the best man shortly before the wedding party is served or before the cake cutting.
• Any other toasts by persons present.
• Service of the buffet or sit down lunch or dinner:
• First dance by bride and groom alone.
• Second dance followed by dance of bride with groom’s father and groom with bride’s mother, later joined by wedding party, later joined by guests.
• Cake cutting (directed by the photographer).
• Bouquet toss followed by garter toss. (directed by the DJ).
• More dancing.
• Departure of the bride and groom.

If the reception is a sit-down dinner, the bridal party’s table is situated where it can best be viewed by the guests with the bridal couple in the middle, maid of honor to the groom’s left, best man to the bride’s right, and the other attendants alternating man/woman as space permits.

If the reception is a buffet, the food line should start with the bride, followed by the groom, the maid of honor, best man, attendants, parents and guests.

Oh, and remember, no matter what kind of the reception you choose, tapping of a crystal glass announces that the bride and groom should kiss.