Day of Timeline

We did our parent dance first and then our first dance and we did it all after dinner and speeches.

View quoted message That sounds like a really good time line! Get everyone's in there and it all works.

Definitely ask your venue & DJ what they suggest.
5:30-6pm -- We did our introduction of the bridal party into the hall, dinner, speeches while dessert was being served. Took a small break to let people finish eating dessert (had to clear a few tables for the dancing area) and we were able to mingle and say hello to guests and then we started off with the dances - and then once the 3 important dances were done it was party time... around 9:30pm we did the garter and bouquet toss!

We had help from our DJ (who is our MC) and our venue. I really wanted speeches during dinner but the venue was a little argumentative about it, since timing needs to be right, so definitely check with your caterer first.

Our timeline will be: entrance, have our first dance, eat dinner, speeches and then parents dance. Afterwards, party, party, party!

My DH and I did our dance right after we had our entrance.

We went right into dinner after that, and did speeches during the courses. The head table/family tables are served first, so when you are done eating the guests are not so it was the perfect time for speeches. We did the parent dances between courses, after their speech. I kept the songs at 2 minutes, any more than that gets dragged out.

I didn't want to end up with three dances right after dinner, people would start to zone out.

My dinner was timed perfectly and I've had people comment on how smooth dinner was and no wasted time.

Attending weddings I've found what makes dinner drag on is when the couple does table visits, since they are the ones who determine how fast each course comes out. We did a receiving line right after the ceremony instead of table visits during dinner. And this is why we were available for speeches/dances during dinner.

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We are having 4 toasts/speeches. MOH, Best Man, my parents, his parents. We are doing them all at once because it's buffet but I think it's smart to spread them out over the courses

After we enter the reception we will do speeches, then dinner and then make our way to the dancefloor. It will go first dance, father daughter, thinking of doing a wedding party dance that will introduce the actual dancing part of the reception

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Yeah - I was wondering about doing that. And then maybe the parents dance to kick off the opening of the dance floor.

I just don't want to delay eating too much. I'LL BE HUNGRY!

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I think there's a ton of options... I'm just not really sure.

And I guess - what toasts do you have to have?

I think we're are aiming to do one speech between every course (we have four courses)

My FH and I are doing our first dance right after our grand entrance before we sit down to dinner. As for the parent dances that is still unsure but most likely after dinner.

Following! I'm not sure either. My guess is these dances open the dance floor...so maybe around 8, depending on when the dinner starts and taking into account toasts/speeches.