Wedding Planning - What Happens and When
(assuming ceremony and reception in the same venue)
This is by no means an exhaustive list - there may be elements you would like to add or things you don't want, it's really entirely up to you.
Ceremony
The ushers show guests to their seats - Bride's family to the left / Groom's family to the right
It's a good idea to have some acoustic music playing, while everyone is being seated and waiting on the bride, eg: organ, harpist, string quartet, flute & harp duo...
Drinks Reception
The main photographs are usually taken now. The lull between the ceremony and the wedding breakfast can sometimes be really long and tiring, so it is a good idea to offer drinks and light snacks which will be very well received, especially if your photography session goes on for longer than expected. You could also consider hiring some form of entertainment, eg: pianist, quartet, jazz band, magician, etc. Your guests will love this and it helps the day to flow seamlessly without big gaps where the guests are standing around with not much to do.
Wedding Breakfast
The bride and groom (and usually the bestman, bridesmaids, mother & father of the bride/groom) now form a receiving line to greet the guests for the Wedding Breakfast.
-speeches (introduced by the toastmaster) are usually at the beginning of the meal but can be carried out at the end, if preferred.
-end of meal - cutting of the cake (or the beginning if having the cake after the meal) The cake could even be cut at the beginning of the evening reception, so that all your guests can be involved in this. It's one of those traditional times where everyone loves to get a photo. The cake will then be taken away to be cut into pieces for the guests (saving the top tier for the couple to keep - to celebrate their 1st Anniversary or first born child, etc)
Seating Arrangements
Usually the top table seating arrangement includes the bride, the groom, their parents, the chief bridesmaid and the best man. This might cause problems though, if either parents are divorced and attending with new partners. One idea is to have one or more of the other tables hosted by a parent and their partner. If one or both of you already have children, you might like them to sit at the top table with you.
The other tables usually seat six or eight (traditional round tables). It can work really well to mix the older generation with the younger ones and also mix which side of the family the guests are from. Try to ensure (if at all possible) that each guest knows at least one person at their table.
Evening Reception
Again, if you have a big gap between the wedding breakfast and the evening reception, you should consider enlisting the help of an entertainer/musicians. Try to ensure that your wedding meal does not run so long that it overlaps the evening reception time, otherwise you'll have evening guests arriving and milling around while you are still eating. Ideally you should be there to welcome guests as they arrive, with another receiving line. Evening guests could also be welcomed with a complimentary glass of champagne.
The evening reception is traditionally started with the first dance, but this could be where you cut the cake first if you wish. A finger buffet is usually offered about half way through the evening.
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