Be careful when you are planning the timeline for your Big Day. If you didn’t hire a Wedding Planner or Coordinator you may inadvertently front load your timeline. Try to ensure that your order of events will fall in line with keeping your guests involved through the night and entertained as well.
What is front loading?
Front loading your wedding is never a good idea. When you front load your wedding that simply means that you have decided to have all of the traditional ceremonial events of your evening before the dance floor has officially been opened to your guests. It is when we introduce the Bride & Groom, then go into their first dance, then directly to the cake cutting, then into any other specialty dances, bringing everyone to the Toasts, Blessing and Dinner being served. Based off of years of experience and psychology, we have seen guests leave directly after dinner. The whole reason you have some of your closest friends and family gathered with you on your special day is to celebrate your new marriage! Don’t think that you need to have one customary wedding event after another to keep your guests engaged through the evening of your reception. Once they eat, there is nothing else obligating them to stay after, they have already seen everything they came to witness.
Let your DJ do their Job
If you decided to hire a DJ, part of their job is keeping the excitement level up for the guests with their emceeing! If you went the route of a live band, you want to be sure they are trained in Emceeing as well. This will help to ensure that your guests enjoy their evening as you have planned. The energy level will remain high and they will be looking forward to what you have lined up for them next. Most times, couples think that once they make their Grand Entrance they will just go right into cutting the cake then the First Dance. When you think about it, what do your guests have to look forward to once they have attended your ceremony earlier that afternoon, watched you cut the cake and witnessed your first dance together as husband and wife. Try getting your toasts done while dinner is served. This will give you and your guests more time to mingle with little interruptions. You can also choose to do your ‘Meet n’ Greet’ at this time. This way you will have time to say “Hi” to all of their friends and family that came to spend the day with you without feeling rushed! We all know that once the party gets started there is little that will break it up. Everything from there continues to be fun, entertain the guests all while keeping people on the dance floor. Once dinner is cleared the bride and groom will want to take the dance floor to show the guests that it is time to have fun and dance! Many times people are under the impression that people leave their reception early because of fatigue. And this could be true but you also want to keep in mind that you don’t want to give your guests the entire show within the first hour and a half of your 5-hour reception!
Upon your grand exit your guests will cheer to your successful celebration and future together.