Greetings:
The form below is our reception format form. This rough outline will allow you to lay out the reception in accordance with your own personalities. You may alter it as needed to fit your own styles.
Sincerely,
Andy Pratt
Wedding Reception Format Form
Name of bride and groom______________________________
Start time of wedding ceremony and its location______________________________
Number of people in attendance__________
Will any children be attending? Yes_____ No_____
Will you be requiring our ceremony package for your wedding ceremony? Yes_____ No_____ An additional form is required if we are providing this service.
Wedding reception venue: town/city, establishment, room and date _______________________________
Start time and room location of cocktail hour __________________________________
Will you be requiring our secondary audio system package for your cocktail hour? Yes_____No_____
This nice little extra is used when our clients have selected a location for their cocktail hour that is not the main dancing area. It features a separate high quality JBL/Crown Audio System for background music that is played as your guests mingle prior to entering the dining area. The cocktail music we play tends to range from jazz, Frank Sinatra, Nora Jones and James Taylor but can change depending on our feel of the event and/or your personal preference. The volume level during this time should be maintained so the person closest to the speaker can still carry on a conversation.
Will you be having other musical arrangements for your cocktail hour? Yes____No____
What are they?______________________________
Your Formal Entrance Into The Dining Room
We like to know the feeling that you are looking to achieve as you and your bridal party are introduced into the room. The emotion will be reflected in the background music as well as the voice-over.
To keep the flow of events moving, it helps to have all of your bridal party, including the parents and grandparents, in the introduction lineup area as the rest of your guests are making their way into the dining room at the end of the cocktail hour. The lineup area is generally determined in advance by the establishment. At this point the disc jockey will go over the lineup and double check the names on the list one last time. Ladies are asked to be on the right side with gentlemen on the left. (Grooms take note: This is easy to remember as ladies are always right!) You should not have any drinks in hand as you are introduced. Depending on the establishment, they may take your flowers in advance of your introduction or your photographer may want you to walk in with them to enhance the photographs. If you do walk in with them, the establishment may take them just before you walk onto the dance floor or you may put them on the disc jockey's table or speakers during the dance. If the bridal party is joining the bride and groom on their first dance or if you are planning on a separate bridal party dance, they should wait with their backs to the disc jockey's sound system after they are introduced into the room. This will enhance your pictures by featuring your bridal party in the background instead of the disc jockey and sound system. A small percentage of photographers may have additional instructions such as wanting everyone to pause for a picture as they are introduced.
Feel free to configure your names and introduction list as needed. Any variations of the basic introduction format including triads, two best men, a maid and matron of honor are welcome. Make sure your bridal party knows in advance where to sit if you are having a head table. This can be an awkward situation, a.k.a. deer in the headlights, if not explained in advance. Fill in this list in the exact order you wish to be introduced into the room.
Family and Bridal Party Introductions
Bridal party introduction style to be announced by: mellow low key introduction _____ upbeat introduction______wild introduction______
Grandparents of the Bride: Will they be walking in? Yes______ No_______
Will they be recognized at their table?Yes______ No ______
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Grandparents of the Groom: Will they be walking in? Yes______ No_______
Will they recognized at their table? Yes______ No ______
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Parents of the Bride:
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Parents of the Groom:
___________________________________________________________________
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Bridesmaids and Ushers:
____________________ escorted by ____________________
____________________ escorted by ____________________
____________________ escorted by ____________________
____________________ escorted by ____________________
____________________ escorted by ____________________
Flower Girl
____________________
Ring Bearer
_____________________
Maid of Honor_____ or Matron of Honor_____
________________________________
The Very Best Man
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Bride and Groom:
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First Dance Song___________________________ Artist________________________
Will the first dance be held after your formal introduction into the reception hall? Yes_____ No______
Will the bridal party be joining you on this dance? Yes______ No______
If no, do you plan to have a separate Bridal Party Dance? (not required)Yes _______ No______
Song___________________________ Artist__________________________
Immediately following the end of the first dance or bridal party dance the entire bridal party should make their way to the head table with the bride going first and the groom second as we play background music to fill this void. The groom should pull out the chair for the bride as she is seated. The groom will sit second. The ushers may pull the chairs for the bridesmaids if they wish and then the ushers will sit in any order after the last bridesmaid has been seated. This is a very classy formality if executed correctly. Once the entire bridal party is seated you will hear the announcement introducing the blessing if you have selected one. If there is no blessing, we will proceed to the toast.
Will anyone be offering a blessing? Name__________________
(The person giving the blessing should also be briefed on the operation of the microphone as listed above.)
Will there be a toast? Yes_____ No_____
Very Best Man______________________
We will provide wireless microphone to the best man for the toast after everyone is seated. It should be held as close to the mouth as possible (1/4" is perfect) and the bottom of the microphone should point away from you as you speak. There is a tendency, due to nerves or stress, to hold the microphone away from the mouth or let it drop several inches down from the mouth. If this occurs only the groom or bride could drop the subtle hint for the best man to hold the microphone closer. The microphone will already be on when it is given to the best man. DO NOT ADJUST ANY OF THE SETTINGS ON THE UNIT OR TRY AND TURN IT OFF AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED SPEAKING. Just leave the microphone on the head table. The disc jockey or in a few cases, the photographer will retrieve the unit.
Will your Maid or Matron of Honor add any remarks? Yes____ No____
Name______________________________________
If any additional remarks are made, the microphone should be passed directly to that person. It is a nice touch to have the best man introduce the maid or matron of honor as he hands the microphone to her. This avoids the disc jockey turning everyone's attention back to him and away from the head table for just a ten-second introduction line during an emotional moment in your reception.
In some rare instances, some ministers will insist on performing their blessing before the toast.
Will we be giving away your centerpieces? Yes____ No ____ We have several unique and creative ways to accomplish this.
(The disc jockey will give instructions to all in attendance as this occurs)
Getting the dancing started after dinner: Individually thanking everyone for coming to your wedding is an enjoyable experience but the time required to do this may not be practical with larger groups or long-winded guests. It can stall the event. People will start asking us when "we" are going to get things going which can create an awkward situation. Thanking them at the church with a receiving line is the best way to accomplish this time-honored tradition. To maintain the forward momentum after dinner, the parental dances should take place when the last twenty to thirty percent of your guests are still finishing their meal. The reason for this is the tables that are served first would be waiting around too long if we waited until all of your guests had completely finished their meals. The more guests you have at your reception the more important this issue becomes. All individuals participating in the parental dances must be present before the first dance starts. The father of the bride will be asked to escort his daughter to the dance floor for the father-daughter dance. Following this dance, the groom will be asked to escort his mother to the dance floor for the mother-son dance. Following the parental dances, your guests will formally be invited to the dance floor and the main body of the dancing will occur. A slow song is always used for the first open dancing song.
After Dinner Events
Will you be having a father/daughter dance? Yes______ No______ (this dance is held after dinner)
If Yes, Song________________________ Artist_________________________
Will you be having a mother/son dance? Yes______ No______ (this dance is held after dinner)
If Yes, Song________________________ Artist_________________________
Will there be a cake cutting? Yes_____ No ______
The average time this occurs is about fifteen to thirty minuets after dinner or in accordance with the caterer’s preference. The timing of this event is slightly staggered to allow the staff ample time to clear the tables before the cake is served. You will be informed by the disc jockey that the caterer is ready for the cake cutting. You make your way to the cake table. Make sure the groom is still wearing his jacket to enhance your pictures. The announcement will be made to your guests that this event is about to take place to give them ample time to get their cameras ready. As some of your guests make their way to the cake for a picture, you will hear background music start. This is your cue to follow your photographer's instruction for cutting the cake and feeding each other. Some photographers don't offer instructions so you may want to discuss in advance how you will perform the cutting and feeding.
Will you be throwing the garter and bouquet? Yes_____ No ______ (this takes place about an hour after dinner)
The disc jockey will guide everyone through this event.
Would you prefer to present your bouquet to the couple who has been married the longest with an anniversary dance? Yes_____ No_____
Any other special events such as Aunt Ira's birthday, an anniversary, or recent birth worth mentioning?
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Please list any other songs/dances you have found on our song list along with the location number that you would like to have included. This form must be emailed back to us for processing.
Song Title Artist
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