|
Description of Event |
Time of Event |
Notes (if applicable) |
|
Arrival of DJ / Set-Up |
04:30 PM |
We arrive 90 minutes
prior to start of event on a normal wedding. Your
DJ should always arrive at least 60 minutes prior.
A sound check should be done with your officiate at
least 30 minutes prior to wedding. |
|
Arrival of Guests -
Background Music |
05:40 PM |
Guest normally start
arriving 10-15 minutes prior, so you will want music
playing 20 minutes prior. As a DJ we normally play
a mix of classical and new age (Enya/ Yanni / etc.)
style music, but you can choose any style you wish.
If you are using a quartet, harpist, piano player, they
should go over music selections with you ahead of time. |
|
Wedding / BP Processional
/ Bridal March |
06:00 PM |
Normally the bride and
groom will choose a song for the wedding party entrance
and a song for the bridal march. You can go with
the standard classical bridal march or you can choose
something special for you! Sometimes the bride and
groom will choose to do a unity candle or sand ceremony
song. Non-denominational ceremonies are normally 15-20
minutes long, but usually end up starting a few minutes
late. |
|
Recessional - Start
Reception / Cocktail Hour |
06:30 PM |
As you leave your
musician or DJ should play the recessional song of your
choice! While you are taking pictures your DJ or
wedding coordinator should verify all schedules are
still coordinated. While your guests are having
cocktails and appetizers. Our normal music mix for
this time is a mix of crooners (Martin / Sinatra/ Como/
Mathis) with mellow classics and smooth jazz.
Once again your DJ or band should work with you in
planning to choose music to fit your desires. |
|
Arrival of Wedding Party |
07:15 PM |
We give 45 minutes for
photos and then another 10 minutes to get guests seated
and the wedding party briefed on how the intro is being
done and what order they are being introduced in. |
|
Grand Introduction |
07:25 PM |
This should be done in
accordance with how you desire it. If you want
elegant intros or high energy sports type intros or
something in between your master of ceremonies (DJ, band
leader, etc) should coordinate it to fulfill your
desires. We normally play a background song for
the wedding party and a different song for the bride and
groom. If you do not desire a high energy intro we
will do a love story which is a history of the bride and
groom with music clips interspersed to add some fun!
Make sure the MC/ DJ knows exactly how you want to be
addressed when being introduced to your guests! |
|
First Dance |
07:30 PM |
You are already on the
dance floor and have everyone's attention. This is
a perfect time to do your first dance. Since you
have already danced, your guests will not feel awkward
if they want to dance to a song during dinner since the
first dance has already been completed. This also
cuts down on the number of dance your guest must play
spectator to after dinner is complete. |
|
Blessing / Meal Served |
07:35 PM |
If you want to say grace
prior to your meal, let your master of ceremonies or DJ
know who will give it so they can introduce them.
Your DJ/MC should coordinate with one another as to who
will release tables and how it should be done. Ask
your DJ if they have any special things they do to
interact with the crowd and release tables. |
|
Best Man's Toast |
08:05 PM |
Traditionally the toast
are prior to the meal. We have found they work
better if you pour the champagne / cider / wine as soon
as the last guest has their main course served.
Normally the wedding party is finished eating and can
now do toasts. Everyone else can eat their meal
while listening and easily raise glasses at the
appropriate time. This has a couple of effects.
Your guests start eating a few minutes earlier while you
do not waste any time while everyone waits for toasts to
be finished, thus completing dinner a few minutes
earlier. Also, your toast beverage will be nice
and cold. If you do your toast immediately most
caterers will pour the drinks before the guests are
seated and you end up having it sit 15-20 minutes until
you get to toasts. Once again it is your event and
you dictate when it happens, theses are just some ideas
to think about. |
|
Other Toast |
08:10 PM |
Normally the maid of
honor and one or more parents will want to give a toast
as well. You want to let people make toasts, but
be aware that if you open it to all guests you could
spend a long time listening to a multitude of people
stumbling through saying the exact same thing. I
have seen toasts stretch to past an hour when the bride
and groom insisted that everyone be allowed to speak
that wanted to. |
|
Father - Bride Dance |
08:15 PM |
Pick a song that says
what you want to convey to your father, or let him pick
a song with a message to you. Your guests could
still be eating while you are doing this. |
|
Mother - Groom Dance |
08:20 PM |
Pick a song that says
what you want to convey to your mother, or let her pick
a song with a message to you. Your guests could
still be eating while you are doing this. As the
song is winding down this is a good time to invite all
your guests to join in for a few slow songs. They
have been though a cocktail hour and dinner and you want
them to get moving so everyone is awake and ready to
move on with the party. |
|
Open Dance 3 slow 3-4
fast |
08:25 PM |
Play a few slow songs and
then mix into some classic oldies like The Twist or
Twist & Shout or In the Mood. Get people moving,
if they are partying let it go for just a little while.
If they are not reacting then go back into events |
|
Wedding Party Dedication
(as part of open dance) |
08:40 PM |
Rather than doing a
wedding party dance with a floor filled with people who
are there with other dates you may want to dedicate a
song to the wedding party and just let everyone dance
with their actual date for the night. |
|
Cake Cutting |
08:50 PM |
Some MC's will run this
event. We prefer to announce it and let your
photographer run it as they see fit so they get the
pictures exactly as they desire. |
|
Honeymoon or Money Dance
Songs |
09:00 PM |
Many names - Apron Dance,
Dollar Dance, Honeymoon Dance, Money Dance, etc...
About half of our brides and grooms want one if these.
The idea is to give each person the ability to spend
15-20 seconds alone with the bride or groom to share
their thoughts and give them their private best wishes.
This is an opportunity to tactfully and maybe while
having some fun, raise some money for the bride and
groom for their honeymoon by accepting donations in
return for the dances. Many couples choose to
substitute for this and have an elimination or reverse
elimination dance where we recognize couples that have
been married a long time. many times the bride and
groom present the couple married the longest with
flowers or a gift. Speak to your MC about your
personal tastes and desires. |
|
Bouquet Toss / Teddy Bear
Toss |
09:10 PM |
Some couples are doing
the elimination dance mentioned above instead of the
entire bouquet garter sequence. Most still do the
traditional bouquet toss. Choose a song for
background music to get the ladies going. The
Teddy Bear Toss is an event we do for the children at
your event. Ask your MC about it and he will
discuss details with you. |
|
Remove Garter/ Garter
Toss / Garter On |
09:20 PM |
This should be one of
your most fun times of your reception. Have a good
time and enjoy yourself. If you don't laugh your
MC did not handle this well. Choose a separate
song for removing garter and for throwing it to the
guys. Work with your MC to make sure that having
the gentleman who caught the garter put it back on the
leg of the girl who caught the bouquet is what you want
to do. Most MC's will have some twists you can do
on this. The key is to handle it appropriately for
your event and have a good time. |
|
Open Dancing - Party Time |
09:30 PM |
Discuss with your MC if
you have any other ethnic, religious or traditional
events you need to do before it is party time, otherwise
turn up the volume a little, hit the dance lights, and
party it up on the dance floor. A good DJ or band
will normally work through several sets of music of
various tastes so that all your guests hear something
they will like and get a chance to hit the dance floor. |
|
Reception Ends |
12:00 AM |
Pack up your gifts, make
sure you are square with all your vendors and head off
to the honeymoon! |
