Welcome to the
RECEPTION
PLANNING GUIDE
You’re married - it’s time to eat, drink, dance and more!
Here is a few of the ideas, conversation starters and options I’ve shared on my Instagram page. Clients only have access to the full guide and resources. This guide is to be used in conjunction with the RECEPTION PLANNING QUESTIONNAIRE within the client portal (where the quotes, contracts and questionnaires live). The questionnaire is much more in depth with pointed questions.
Reception music playlists
Soon after your engaged, here’s 4 playlists to create in Spotify for your reception.
Pop in a song or two every week and you’ll soon build some banging playlists ready for your wedding. Your future self will thank you.
Canapes
Dinner background
Upbeat background
Dancefloor
It doesn’t matter if you’ve got an acoustic musician, DJ, band, Spotify playlist or any combination of these. Your vendors will love the guide of music you like if that is the path you are going down.
Photo: @travisandbennyweddings
How to create a reception timeline that works.
What are the 4 key timings to begin building your reception run sheet.
1. ENTRANCE TIMINGS
What time are your guests entering and wedding party/ newlyweds’ entrances. These could be formal/ informal entrances depending on the type of reception you are after.
These timings could be determined by the time of your ceremony, venue, photography schedule, or just by you.
Photo: @itsbennywylde
Reception timeline cont.
2. MEAL TIMINGS
What is your meal schedule, options include:
Canapes
Entree
Main
Desert
Cocktail
Pizza or food trucks
Or other.
Either way, your venue or caterer will have a food schedule, and it generally works to schedule around food.
Serve, eat, and clear works best for formal food service so guests are fed, not distracted, or making noise during formalities.
Photo: @rexvil.photography
Reception timeline cont.
3. SUNSET/ GOLDEN HOUR TIMINGS
Are you having golden hour photos and what time of the year is your wedding?
Factors to consider when planning your reception run sheet:
Daylight savings has a huge effect on your golden hour timing. Golden hour could potentially be before the reception begins in the cooler months.
The location of your reception including distance from the coast, are you in a valley or hills and can you take photos onsite or need to drive elsewhere.
Seek sunset timings and photo locations from your photographer and venue.
Photo: @rexvil.photography
Reception timeline cont.
4. CLOSING TIME
What time does music have to be off and/ or guests off site?
Work backwards from here to determine your final song or exit song.
Are you having a private last dance, sparkler exit, or a dance with your parents.
These factors all need to be considered when putting together your run sheet timings.
You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here! (Unless you have onsite accommodation.)
Photo: @davishphotography
Reception timeline completion.
Once you have those 4 key timings, what’s next?
Firstly, don’t rush your reception. You want to build in time to chat with your guests, grab those selfies with excited mates, grab a drink, sit down, go to the bathroom and actually just enjoy your reception.
How many guests have you invited to your reception and how far away is the kitchen from where guests are eating? The more people and further distance, mean you’ll need to allow more time.
What formalities do YOU want, not what you think you have to do. Does that include speeches, early dance floor, formal dancing, games. Once you’ve nailed this list, you can start formatting the order and timings. Be flexible and allow some wiggle time. Emotion, laughter and little things will happen but with the right team of vendors you’ll be looked after.
Who will create your run sheet? A combination of your vendors will have an input into the timeline including MC, DJ or band, venue, photographer, wedding planner or co-ordinator.
What does a professional MC do? They are the glue that keeps your reception together, good vibes flowing and moving forward at the appropriate times. They are the central point of communication between all your vendors, kitchen, venue, VIP’s, wedding party members, guests and of course you. They are there to organise, co-ordinate and have all the conversations, so you don’t have to. They know how to get the crowd going for an energetic entrance, keep your speech makers cool and calm, co-ordinate dry ice, fireworks and a choreographed first dance, they understand the natural flow of the night to ensure you enjoy every minute and they are there not to embarrass you or be intoxicated. Give your mate or Aunty the night off and bring in a professional.
Photo: @wilsonandlewis
Entrances
I've got a whole section on entrances with little tips for big energy but that’s for clients only.
My main tip for the newlywed’s entrance is get the MC to ask all guests to be upstanding for the entrance along with spinning napkins can really bring the energy up quickly and it's a great way of involving the whole crowd.
Your MC may need to ask guests to push their chairs in prior to the announcement and position themselves behind the chairs. Embrace the chaos!
Choose a song with a big build up, a sing along worthy chorus and just an absolute belter!
Your MC can introduce over the build-up to the drop as doors open/ you magically appear into a rousing reception!
Secondly, embrace the chaos and go the long way - you may enter into the middle room, go through and around tables, say hello to your guests and enjoy that buzz of entering to all your favourite people. Don’t rush towards the cake!
Photo: @rexvil.photography
A sweet start
Cut the cake straight away
Got a cake, cupcakes, donuts, cannoli or anything sweet or other.
Cutting the cake straight away works for so many reasons. It’s a great way to flow the energy from a big entrance into the next segment of your reception.
You venue/ caterer can have it prepared for you and then take it away afterwards and prepare it for later at their leisure.
You already have everyone’s attention following the entrance, so no need to disrupt the flow of the night.
Make sure a knife is ready and even two glasses of champagne poured for a quick toast.
I like to propose 3 cheers and on the third the couple cuts the cake, it involves your guests, builds some energy and just makes it a little less awkward.
If straightaway really doesn’t feel like the right time for you, you could cut the cake at canapes or tie it into another formality later in the reception.
Photo: @imjoshhuggett
10-minute dancefloor after newlyweds’ entrance or first dance
Transfer that entrance energy onto your dancefloor.
Short and sharp is the key. Pick songs that is going to get everyone on the dancefloor, think September, some Abba, uptown funk or anything that is funky with a good beat.
Your guests have been out in the sun, a few wines and a little bit of energy. Let’s have some fun with that.
Ensure you allow time in your run sheet, have chatted with the venue and you NEED to be on the dancefloor!
Photo: @jamesfieldphoto
Sparkler entrance to reception or dance floor.
Seriously, have you thought about a sparkler ENTRANCE to your reception rather than an exit?
Guests are less hammered, and the moment creates a unique energy to officially begin your reception.
Non daylight savings weddings work a little better for timing with the sun setting a little earlier but worth trying at any time of the year.
This works well if your photographer is finishing before your reception finish time but want a sparkler shot. In my opinion “fake” sparkler exits don’t work all that well and they disrupt the natural energy of your reception.
Photo: @imjoshhuggett
Want to know the secret to a pumping dancefloor?
The absolute number 1 trick is YOU need to be on the dance floor!!!
Simply, your guests will naturally gravitate to you. So, if you’re on the dancefloor that’s where the action will be.
Photo: @travisandbennyweddings
Ice creams on your dancefloor!!!
Who doesn’t love ice cream?
Walk a bucket of ice creams, zooper doopers, magnums or anything tasty around on your dancefloor late at night. Doesn’t matter if the weather is hot or cold, your guests will love some sugar, a way to cool down but still stay on the dancefloor! It is a HUGE hit with guests (and vendors).
Just be wary of dietary restrictions.
Photo: @davishphotography
The reception planning guide + more
I hope you’ve picked up a few ideas or these have created a few conversation starters with your partner.
Here are a few of the topics discussed in more detail in the full clients only guide:
Canapes
Housekeeping
Entrances
Speeches
Games
Cold spark fireworks, dry ice, confetti cannons plus more
golden hour
Dancing
Dancefloor tips to energise and maximise the party
How to start the dancefloor without formal dancing
Live musicians and your dancefloor
Nighttime photos
Last song of the night and exit
Private last dance
And much more
My role as your MC is to make your reception fun, easy, co-ordinated and memorable for you and your guests without being the center of attention at any point. This guide is available to all of my couples who sign on for me to marry them. You don’t have to book me as your celebrant and MC, but if you’re keen let me know. I no longer offer just MC packages as I just love getting to know my couples and marrying them.
Photo: @itsbennywylde