The Wedding "Cocktail" Hour

There are many terms related to weddings that people who are not wrapped up in planning a wedding may not be familiar with. If you're newly engaged and are afraid to ask what certain things mean at the risk of sounding foolish, don't worry.

After the wedding ceremony is often the cocktail hour. The cocktail hour traditionally occurs between the ceremony and reception. It allows the bride and groom to get some photo time in while allowing the guests to mingle and catch up with friends and family they may not have seen in a while.

For the cocktail hour, beverages and hors d'oeuvres are served. The drinks can be alcoholic or non, and can be served from a host bar, or simply include two or three cocktail choices that are butler passed (champagne, a signature cocktail, etc). Hor d'oeuvres can be served at mini food stations or also butler passed.

Seating at a cocktail is a little less formal than the dinner portion of your reception. It can include a mix of bistro tables that people can stand at, a few tables with seats for some of your older guests, and even some stylish lounge areas created out of banquettes and other furniture either rented or provided by the venue.

The music can be as subtle and elegant as a string quartet or it can set the tone for a crazy fun party with music provided by a club deejay.

The cocktail hour is a fun portion of the wedding, and it can and should be completely flexible. Don't be afraid to make yours work to fit your vision!

Unsure how much of each beverage to purchase for your guest list? Use this handy calculator to help you assess your needs. http://www.thatsthespirit.com/en/drinks/party_calculator.asp

Wedding Reception Songs

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Coming up with a list of wedding reception songs is something that you may want to do. During the reception, music is played the entire time and it helps to set the mood for your event. You don't have to choose every single song that is played during your reception (it would be very time consuming to come up with 4 or 5 hours of music).
But you should develop a list of songs to be played during specific parts of the evening.

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You'll want to pick wedding reception music for:

• The introduction of the bridal party. This music should be upbeat and festive since you are getting the celebration started.


• The first dance. Most couples go with something slow and romantic perhaps "At Last" by Etta James). But if you have a song that is of some significance to both of you, then you should play that song even if it's fast.


• Mother & Son and Father & Daughter dances.
  


• Bouquet and garter toss.
  


• Dinner. You don't have to choose all of the songs for this part of the evening but you may want a list of 2 or 3 favorite songs to be played sometime during dinner. Remember to keep the songs playing at a low decibel so that guests can talk with one another without straining their voices.
  


• Dancing. You can specify the type of music that you want played (country, rock, disco, R & B, Hip Hop). You can also choose specific songs like the Electric slide or the Chicken dance to get everyone out of their seats.

You also need to think about who will play the wedding reception songs.

• A band. Live music is great and adds the feel of being at a dance or concert.


• DJ. Less expensive than a live band but should have a large collection of music to play. You can provide your play list and the DJ should accommodate.
  
• AV Equipment. If you are working with a really tight budget you could put together CD's of music yourself and play them through a stereo system.
  


• Other Entertainment. You might also want to add professional dancers to your event or maybe do some karaoke to liven up the party.