The Entrance to the Wedding Banquet

From Monica Lorraine 24 02 2012 Everything that you need to know about your wedding reception

The entrance to the banquet after the wedding ceremony is a much anticipated moment when the real fun begins. But protocol always catches up with us, so here is the low-down.

Photo by The Supper Club

Protocol plays a major role in the world of celebrations and of course weddings. Each step that you make that day has some rules and norms that you can choose to follow, depending on what you want.

In regards to the entrance to the banquet, newlyweds must take into account the following factors:

Guests must be the first to the enter the place of the celebration where they wait for the bride and groom, perhaps while sipping on cocktails.
Then, guests will be prompted to make their way into the banquet hall and will consult the seating plan to find their seats before entering. In some cases, restaurant or venue staff take the responsibility of helping guests find their seats.
The bride and groom must arrive before the entrees are served or before the first course and guests should not have to sit, waiting for them to arrive, so make sure to plan well to avoid making anyone wait.
All guests must be seated in their places when the bride and groom enter the hall.
The first toast will take place when they arrive and not before.
The couple, after entering, sit at the head, or top table without going to individually greet all guests. That's why many couples decide to come during the cocktail to greet and drink with them, but if you arrive for a sit down meal, then this is how it works. If it is a sit down meal, you can greet your guests individually after cutting the cake when the meal is over.

Photo by The Supper Club

And if we put aside protocol...

The couple often make their entrance with very special music, so it is important to select it carefully and make sure something is scheduled to be played, something you have both picked out to avoid entering to the tune of a song that will embarrass you both.
If you make two entries: the cocktail and the banquet, you can pick a song for each entrance. A song will signal guests to pay attention to you coming in, so that no one misses it. It also makes the moment that much more special.

Photo 1 & 2: The Supper Club

The Entrance to the Wedding Banquet

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