…and there were to be several other toasts, which we very quietly moved around in the timeline to keep things flowing…

 

Here are some really great things I have learned about wedding toasts:

 

After accounting for the introduction, first dance, blessing, toasts (2- short ones), dinner, parent dances, and cake cutting….the average 4 hour reception has enough time left for approximately 24-25 songs at 4.5minutes average.

 

This means that if you have a long winded best man/ maid of honor who goes on for 20 minutes? (-minus 2 songs).

 

Are all of the bridesmaids speaking …like maybe four or five of them at 5 minutes each?
(- minus 2 songs).

 

Add in Mom and Dad and maybe his Mom and Dad? (- 2 more songs).

 

Bridal party dance? ( – minus 1).

 

Bouquet and garter tosses? (-2 more) …unless you have to wait to get the ladies drug onto the floor then minus 3….

 

Right now we’re down to about 16 songs…. What happened to the party?
Can you pick the 15 songs you really want the band to play?

 

Here are a few thing to consider….

 

• Limit toasts to a brief welcome by the parents and short toast by the best man and maid of honor (together if they can).

 

• The rehearsal dinner is a smaller more intimate; less formal place for all of those close to you to say something special… there’s plenty of time.

 

• Is having a bridal party dance something your bridal party will enjoy or is it something they so out of obligation?

 

• Have the bridal bouquet toss and garter gone the way of the dinosaur? Are they really that much fun? Or, are guests feeling more embarrassed?

 

Here’s to guests’ having fun, important people in our lives, and to getting the most out of our reception!