Wedding Reception Planning & Information Guide

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BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Remember… we can totally customize your wedding ceremony

& reception to ﬁt your creative vision and style! Every detail is completely up to you.

This information only serves as a guide, but it will help us provide the best service for you that we can. The more information you can provide to us, the better!

Wedding Reception Planning & Information Guide

Here’s our recommended timeline for receptions, with commentary from ‘The Knot’:

00:00 - The Cocktail Hour

After being pronounced husband and wife, you're often the ﬁrst to leave the wedding ceremony, heading oﬀ (with photographer in tow) for pictures together with the wedding party before the real partying gets underway. Your guests will typically head to the reception site for cocktails. We can play a predetermined playlist, or a selection of light music as people enjoy the social hour. You can select music styles for this portion of the reception on this form.

01:00 - The Wedding Party Arrives & First Dances

Here's the part where you make your grand entrance! When the whole party arrives, we will announce your arrival, according to the instructions and guidance you give us here.

Generally, both sets of parents and the wedding party are introduced, followed by the announcement of you both for the first time as husband and wife. In many cases, your newlywed first dance will begin as you step out onto the floor and into the spotlight after being announced. Alternately, you can wait until after the first course of the meal is served, but since everyone is already cheering you as you enter the reception, use the applause as encouragement enough to skim away any shyness and step on out. This is also a great time for the mother/son and father/daughter dances.

01:20 - Cheers & Toasts for the Bride & Groom

Following your first dance, you might want to take the opportunity—while all eyes are still on you, since hopefully no one yet has had too much to drink—to thank everyone en masse for taking part in your wedding. Then, since toasting signifies a transition in the course of an event, the mother and father of the bride will thank guests for attending, and speakers you select (typically the best man and maid of honor) will offer toasts, and invite everyone

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01:30 - Dinner is Served

Time to dig into the main course! If you're having a seated meal, we will play subdued, conversation-friendly background music, or other selections as you instruct on this form, as the waitstaﬀ makes the rounds. If you’re having a buﬀet, we can announce how the r rotation will work by calling each table when it's time to head to the front of the line. Fun ideas for this portion include assigning certain songs to each table to announce their turn to join the line, etc.

02:45 - Time to Celebrate!

Monkey-see, monkey-do is how this game is played! Guests are going to follow your lead.

Once dinner dishes are cleared, you should be the first ones on the dance floor so people know it's time to start partying. Throughout the dancing, the music will stop for any extracurricular activities you've planned (also known as the bouquet toss, the garter toss and whatever else you've dreamed up). If you do choose to toss the bouquet, make sure to get a tossing bouquet from the florist so you can keep your original one as a memento.

04:00 - Cake Cutting

About one hour before the conclusion of the reception, when the party starts getting a little rowdy, your waitstaﬀ should start preparing tables for coﬀee and dessert. Since the cake cutting generally signals guests that it's okay to leave soon thereafter, don't do it too early or things could start wrapping up before you're ready.

04:45 - Last Dance

End your wedding on a high note and choose a dance song that will leave a lasting impression. You'll want everyone to have a chance for one last twirl, so select something fast and festive.

05:00 - Final Farewell & Conclusion

Now it's time to say goodbye. Your coordinator will usher everyone into the foyer or onto the steps outdoors so that as you make your grand exit from the reception, friends and family can blow bubbles, light sparklers, or toss rose petals—and cheer to your successful celebration and future together. We can work with you to select the perfect send-oﬀ songs to play in the background.

Now that you have an idea of how most of our receptions go, use the following pages to give us as much information as possible, so we can create the perfect reception for you. Don’t be afraid to mix it up!

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Bride’s Name _________________________________________

Bride’s Phone Number (_______) __________-_______________

Bride’s Email _________________________________________

Groom’s Name _________________________________________

Groom’s Phone Number (_______) __________-_______________

Groom’s Email _________________________________________

Event Date _________________________________________

Event Location _________________________________________

Location Contact _________________________________________

Location Phone Number (_______) __________-_______________

Wedding Planner’s Name _________________________________________

Wedding Planner’s Phone (_______) __________-_______________

Reception Start / End Time ________:________ - ________:________

Estimated Number of Guests ______________________

Age Range of Guests & Friends ______________________

How many of the following will take place?

_____Cocktail Hour _____Dancing

_____Wedding Party Arrival _____Bouquet Toss/Garter Toss, etc.

_____First Dances _____Cake Cutting

_____Cheers & Toasts _____Last Dance / Farewell

_____Dinner Other:______________________________

Kaitlyn Ferguson

518 369 9171

[email protected] Kendall Wallace

603 845 6778

[email protected]

8/17/2019

Harmony Hill Farm Tammy Hilchey

4 30 10 30

120

207 380 4584

19-85, plus 3 children

X X X

X

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Music Preferences (check all that apply, or give us more info)

During Cocktails _____Vocal Artists / A Cappella Selections _____Contemporary Jazz

_____Easy Listening / Big Band _____Soft Top 40

_____Other:

_________________________________________

During Dinner _____Vocal Artists / A Cappella Selections _____Contemporary Jazz

_____Easy Listening / Big Band _____Soft Top 40

_____Other:

_________________________________________

Please tell us the names of the members of the wedding party as you wish to have them recognized at your reception:

Bride’s Parents _________________________________________

Groom’s Parents _________________________________________

Flower Girl _________________________________________

Oﬃciants (if applicable) _________________________________________

X X

Carrie & Scott Ferguson Mike & Cindy Wallace

Andrea Willets

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Ring Bearers _________________________________________

_________________________________________

Bridesmaids & Groomsmen as they should be introduced:

Bridesmaids Groomsmen

_______________________________ _______________________________

Maid / Matron of Honor _________________________________________

Best Man / Man of Honor _________________________________________

Instructions for Announcing the Bridal Party

How should we refer to the new couple? (Mr. & Mrs., ﬁrst names, etc.)

Cassidy Ferguson- bride’s sister Ted Wallace- groom’s brother

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Bridal Party Introduction Music

___________________________________________________________________

How would you like the Bride & Groom to be announced?

_____Traditional & Digniﬁed _____Low-Key, Romantic _____Upbeat, Energetic & Fun

_____Pro Wrestlers Entering the Ring (yes, this was a real request!)

Other comments & instructions for the Bride/Groom introductions:

___________________________________________________________________

Would you like a First Dance (bridal waltz)? What song?

___________________________________________________________________

Will there be a Father/Daughter dance? What song?

___________________________________________________________________

Will there be a Mother/Son dance? What song?

___________________________________________________________________

Will there be toasts before dinner? Who will be speaking? (in order)

___________________________________________________________________

“Please gather around for a word from the bride and groom” then Kendall & Kaitlyn will thank everyone for coming, mention dinner, etc. No introductions

No toasts as far as we know

Yes, will confirm song

One parent dance together

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Should we announce “Dinner is Served” to cue servers to begin serving?

___________________________________________________________________

Will there be a toast after dinner or in between courses?

___________________________________________________________________

Music selections for the dancing portion of the reception (after dinner):

Kickoﬀ Song ____________________________________________________

Must-Play Songs ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

No. Casual pizza dinner, no sit-down assigned seats or time, just continuous pizza for 1-2 hours

No

I wanna dance with somebody- Whitney Houston Like a Prayer- Madonna

Shake it off- Taylor Swift

The way you make me feel- Michael Jackson

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Do-Not Play List___________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Would you like your guests to be able to make requests? _______________

Do you want an Anniversary Dance? What Time? What Song?

___________________________________________________________________

Bouquet Toss Song ________________________________________________

Garter Toss Song _________________________________________________

Cake-Cutting Time & Song ___________________________________________

Other Special Songs & Events ________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Final Song / Last Dance ______________________________________________

Final Farewell & Exit Music ___________________________________________

NO choreographed dance songs (cha cha slide, cotton eye joe)

No

No No

No

Sure, within reason

Shoutout to the bride’s parents married for 32 years- play “You’re still the one”

by Shania Twain. Anytime is fine

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Other Important Information About Your Reception:

Who is your photographer? __________________________________________

Will you use a hashtag? _____________________________________________

Will your DJ be provided with a meal at the reception? _________________

(If not, we may ask for a 15-20 minute break during the dinner hour, depending on the length of your event.)

Do you have a speciﬁc color theme? __________________________________

Who is your cakemaker? _____________________________________________

Any other comments, concerns, information or considerations?

___________________________________________________________________

Bre’an Angell, bride’s cousin, 716-949-9777

No

Yes

No

No cake, small desserts by caterer Cafe Miranda

1 setup location, rain cover, inside barn expecting 125 guests

Tammy Hilchey - Wedding day coordinator- day of schedule