 RECEIVING THE GUESTS.
The Bride and Groom will have left the church first so they should arrive at the
reception venue first, closely followed by the parents.
A Receiving Line should quickly be formed to receive the guests and at the head of the
line should be the parents of the Bride as they are technically the hosts. Next should
come the Groom’s parents followed by the Bride and Groom,and various attendants which
is an optional choice.
If the reception is a smaller less formal affair, the Bride and Groom may welcome the
guests on their own.
THE WEDDING BREAKFAST.
The top table will be occupied as below:
| Chief Bridesmaid |
Groom’s Father |
Bride’s Mother |
Groom & Bride |
Bride’s Father |
Groom’s Mother |
Best Man |
It is essential to have a seating plan for the guests otherwise there will be a lot of
confusion. There should be place cards on the tables for everyone and a master plan on a
notice board in a clear area of the room where everyone can see it.
A good idea is to have the Ushers at the end of the Receiving Line with lists from which
they can tell the guests at which table they will be sitting. Each table should have been
clearly marked with a table number by the venue or the caterers. The Ushers can circulate
to help anyone who is struggling to find their place at the last minute.
It is advisable to have a few spare places in case the long lost relations from Australia
or any children who may have been overlooked turn up at the last minute. |
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CUTTING THE CAKE.
The cake is normally cut by the Bride and Groom after the speeches and toasts and
photographs will be taken at the same time. Many of the guests will probably want to take
a photograph so there should be some clear space around the table holding the cake.
The Bride and Groom having made the initial cut, the caterers will cut the cake into small
pieces and distribute it to the guests. Where the cake is in several tiers, the top tier
will be kept intact to be used for the first child’s Christening. To make the cut,
the Bride holds the knife and the Groom places his hand on hers. If the icing is hard
Royal icing it can be given a start earlier on by using a sharp knife heated in boiling
water to break the surface which will avoid any messy damage.
THE DEPARTURE OF THE BRIDE AND GROOM.
An enterprising Best Man and the Bride’s and Groom’s friends will probably
have comprehensively decorated the car in which they are to leave the reception with the
traditional tin cans and crazy foam. It could be wise to have a second car secreted not
too far away to continue the journey in but do not disappoint your guests by not leaving
initially in the decorated car.
The Best Man will announce the departure of the Bride and Groom who will at some stage of
the proceedings have changed into their going-away outfits. Everyone can then join in the
fun as they depart, throwing rice and confetti.
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