Reception Speeches & Dances

I like the idea of going straight into the first dance as soon as you're announced since everyone will be at their seats and ready to watch it. As for speeches, I think between courses works out?

I like the idea of the first dance right after the entrance.

What we did was after our entrance we served dinner, then as everyone was going for seconds we started the speeches. Half way through the speeches we served dessert then once everyone was settled again we continued speeches then went right into the dances then the party started! We personally never liked th dances before dinner and with our venue it was also much easier to do it the way we did it.
Maybe you could do like a split in the speeches too, especially if you have a lot then it gives the guests a break in just sitting around.

View quoted message

I don't really think I should be planning this far ahead but my FH brought it up & now I can't stop thinking about when to do all the dances and speeches lol.

Thank you so much for your input though! if you have the Photographer for a limited time I would definitely get the dances out of the way!

We are doing our first dance right after our entrance to the reception. This way all the guests are in their seats while we are doing the dance.

Then we will try to get in the parent dances, and speeches in between. Honestly I have not gotten to this part yet, but we only have our photographer for a limited time during the reception, so we want to make the best of having them there!

View quoted message

Yeah, my thoughts were I didn't want anyone waiting around for dinner lol (AKA me). I think speeches and the shoe game are a good buffer between dinner and dancing

View quoted message

Ok so you are saving your dances until the end! That's a possible idea!
Thank you so much for sharing!

We're doing our grand entrance right at cocktail hour so we are going to mingle with our guests before dinner. After dinner we're starting speeches in this order:

My parents (they are hosting)

My FH's dad

My MOH and another bridesmaid (joint speech)

FH's Bestwoman

Myself and my FH

After that, I'm looking at doing the shoe game, followed by the first dance, group dance (parents and wedding party and their S/O's) and then general dancing.

View quoted message

Yeah you are right, I didn't think of that.
Possibly do both parents speeches and then following both the speeches Start with Father Daughter Dance & Transition to Mother Son right after.

Then my FH & I can go up and close out all the speeches afterwards.

View quoted message

That could work. I am just wondering how that will flow. To have to get up and move from the head table.. to go back to sit for the next speech.. and then do it again?

In my opinion the best and least disruptive is immediately following all speeches.

That is only 8 minutes longer people have to stay seated.

Or you could do a combined mother/son and father/daughter dance.

View quoted message

Thank you so much! Yes keeping speeches to no longer than 4-5 min each speech.
I have the issue of my grandparents wanting to speak but I think I will be shutting that down & just have Mom & Dad, Father & Mother of the Groom, Siblings if they choose to speak and then us to close it out.

View quoted message

Yeah I agree with that, especially because you are serving it for your desert too!

View quoted message

Yesss!!!

That's the kinda idea I want lol.

View quoted message

I love this layout. Agreed, I will be going into our first dance right away, but my biggest worry is when to fit in the other two dances. I know someone had mentioned doing it after the parents say the speech which I do like. I just don't want to make it too jam packed either!

The order can go the way you choose.

Though its always in order of Best Man, MOH, siblings, parents of both families and yourself. Nice and short keeping to a time frame.

View quoted message

I am glad I am not the only know confused on this part lol.
I think I am sticking to the first dance as soon as we enter !

View quoted message

Yea honestly we wanted to get it all done right away- we do the cake cut before supper this way the place can cut the remaining and have it ready for desert after the supper. We just wanted to be able to relax after speeches and worry about people not wanting to see any of the rest or missing it because they are outside or somewhere else

View quoted message

That's what we are doing. Parents dance after speeches at the end of dinner.. then dance floor is open!

We are coming in off of our grand entrance, and in to our first dance immediately as well.

Then we are doing our speech/thank you toast before dinner.

Then we are going in to dinner, and head table and parents through the buffet first.

My coordinator said to start speeches as soon as the last table is seated with their dinners. Should take about 25/30 minutes. Which gives us enough time to eat first.

We have allocated 20 minutes for speeches. 4 @ 5 minutes max. That way they should be wrapping up right as people are finishing/getting second plates/desserts etc...

And then immediately following speeches we are doing a combined parents dance.

We were trying to limit the time people have to stay seated as well.. for us this worked out the best.

Because there is dessert in our buffet.. we are doing our cake cutting later in the evening along with the bouquet toss. But we will not make people be seated. It will be announced and those that care to watch can.

I was planning on doing the first dance when we enter the room - but now I'm thinking twice because they need some way to get the guests up and dancing with us right? Gosh I don't know now.... So maybe first dance as soon as we enter and then the parent dances after speeches during supper? For sure asking my parents what they did at their wedding!

View quoted message

I like that!!

View quoted message The father daughter dance will happen after my parents speak; and mother / son after my in laws speak. That’s what’s planned right now

View quoted message

That's exactly what I want to try and do too.
When are you going to do your father daughter dance & Mother Son dance?

View quoted message

I love the way you have the dances right away, I was nervous on when I should be doing my Father, Daughter dance.

I do want to have all the speeches done by the time dessert is out, that way I can finally breath & relax and just enjoy the rest of the night lol

I also don't think we are doing a cake since we have cake for dessert.

Thank you so much though! This is extremely helpful!

Typically what I have seen is the maid of honour, then best man will speak first. Followed by each set of parents, and finally the bride and groom. This is not the end all, be all of order. I have seen more speeches (friends, extended family get up to speak) and I have seen less where only the parents and bride and groom speak.

We're doing it the way I've just mentioned - MOH/BM, parents, then us last. We'll probably try to keep everyone to 5 minutes (ish) and that way speeches will be done by the end of dessert!

I can give you example of our timeline to kinda give you an idea of how we are doing since similar to you

6pm grand entrance

6:10 first dance

6:15 father/daughter dance

6:20 mother/son dance

6:25 cake cut

6:30 dinner buffet

7:30pm speeches - haven't figured out order, I have seen most people have the parents speak and then few people in wedding party and then you do your speech last.

If you wanted people to do speeches while eating- I would suggest making sure those tables eat first and then go up in the order suggested while others still eat