Clank Your Glass and Shake Your Ass – A Guide to Wedding Receptions That Actually Feel Fun

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You’ve made it through the vows. You’re married. It’s time to eat, toast, dance, and maybe spill a drink on the dance floor. The reception is where the day turns from ceremonial to celebratory—where structure gives way to spontaneity and you finally get to let loose.

But just because the reception is the fun part doesn’t mean it runs itself. A little intention goes a long way in helping you and your guests stay present, enjoy the moment, and build memories that feel as good as they look.

Here’s how to make your reception flow beautifully, with room for all the big feelings and good chaos.

Set the Tone Early

The transition from ceremony to reception sets the mood for the whole evening. Whether it’s a relaxed cocktail hour or a raucous grand entrance, decide how you want to enter this next part of the day.

Ideas to Kick Off the Party:

  • Grand entrance to a favorite song (bonus: have your wedding party dance in)
  • Pre-dinner champagne toast for everyone
  • A quick welcome speech to thank guests and say: “Now we party”

Whatever you do, let your energy lead. Your guests will follow.

Toasts and Speeches – Keep It Real (and Short)

Some of the most emotional moments of the day happen during toasts. They can be funny, sweet, tear-filled, or all three. The key is keeping them authentic—and ideally, under 5 minutes each.

Tips for Toasts That Land:

  • Ask your speakers to write it ahead of time
  • Suggest they aim for 3–5 minutes max
  • Avoid inside jokes unless they’re easy to explain
  • Keep a water glass nearby for nerves

Who Usually Speaks?

  • Best Man / Maid of Honor
  • One parent or both (optional)
  • The couple (thank you speech)

Spread speeches throughout dinner to avoid one long block of talking.

Use our Final Checklist to confirm who’s speaking and when

First Dance & Special Dances

Whether you’re doing a slow sway or a choreographed performance, your first dance is a moment to pause the party and reconnect.

Ideas to Make It Personal:

  • Choose a song that means something (lyrics > trend)
  • Practice once or twice so you feel confident
  • Invite guests to join you halfway through

Don’t skip parent dances if they feel meaningful—but don’t feel pressured if they don’t. This is your day. Do what honors your people.

Want to capture every moment of your reception? See why videography matters

Food, Flow, and Guest Experience

Let guests know what’s happening and when. A printed menu or timeline on the table helps. So does a good DJ or emcee who can guide the night.

Reception Timeline Example:

  • 5:30 – Grand entrance
  • 5:45 – First dance
  • 6:00 – Dinner begins
  • 6:30 – Toasts between courses
  • 7:15 – Parent dances
  • 7:30 – Open dance floor
  • 8:30 – Cake cutting
  • 9:30 – Late-night snack / send-off

Keep things flexible, but have a general rhythm. It helps guests relax and enjoy.

Tips to Keep the Dance Floor Full

  • Ask your wedding party to lead the charge
  • Have your DJ play one song everyone knows early on
  • Keep the lights low (mood lighting makes people dance)
  • Avoid long gaps without music
  • Include a mix of genres and decades

Also? Don’t underestimate the power of a single aunt who loves Motown.

Reception Photo Tips

We’ll be there capturing the magic—first dances, speeches, belly laughs, blurry joy. Here’s how you can help us get the best of it:

  • Tell us if anything special is happening (surprise dances, speeches, etc.)
  • Keep sparklers or exit props handy if you’re doing a send-off
  • If the reception is dark, we’ll bring flash—but if you can add string lights, even better

Want more real reception moments? Browse our Wedding Portfolio

Planning for the Unexpected

Someone will spill something. Someone else might give a rogue speech. The music might cut for 10 seconds. All of that is okay.

Reception chaos is good chaos.

Let it be imperfect. That’s what makes it unforgettable.

Check out our Wedding Trends post for fun reception ideas like audio guest books and champagne towers

Things That Make Receptions Feel Good

  • Late-night snack bar – Everyone loves french fries at 10 p.m.
  • Comfy shoes – For you, and bonus if offered to guests
  • Guest book alternatives – Voice memos, polaroid wall, mad libs
  • Unstructured time – Build in space to wander and talk
  • A moment with just the two of you – Even 5 minutes outside watching the party unfold

Your Reception, Your Rules

Don’t like cake? Do donuts. Not into speeches? Skip them. Want to go barefoot for the first dance? Absolutely.

The best receptions we’ve seen are the ones that feel most like the couple—not the ones that follow the rules.

You already did the big stuff. You said “I do.” Now it’s time to clank your glass, shake your ass, and enjoy the night with your favorite people.

We’ll be right there with you.

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Two men in white dress shirts and suspenders stand indoors; one smiles with hands covering his mouth while the other looks down, holding a garment bag.
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Two women in floral robes sit in a softly lit room; one applies makeup to the other, who is seated near a window, with their reflection visible on a shiny surface below.
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A woman pins a boutonniere onto an older man's lapel outdoors, while another man in sunglasses smiles nearby.
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A bride and groom stand holding hands, facing a group of people outdoors under a partly cloudy sky.
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A bride and groom kiss while dancing together at their wedding reception in a warmly lit venue with guests in the background.
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A bride and groom share a kiss outdoors at sunset, both dressed in formal wedding attire.
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A bride and groom kiss on the dance floor at their wedding reception, with sunlight shining behind them and guests seated in the background.
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A bride in a wedding dress and a man in formal attire walk toward a large barn-like building at sunset.
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Two men in tuxedos embrace outdoors; one man in a white jacket hugs the other from behind. Green foliage and a wooden fence are in the background.
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A woman in a wedding dress looks out from behind a glass door while a man stands on a wooden terrace outside, facing away.
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A silhouetted couple stands close together outdoors at dusk, surrounded by dark trees and illuminated by fading light.
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A couple in formal attire walks hand-in-hand outdoors at sunset, with a barn and trees in the background. The scene is in black and white.
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A bride and groom stand closely together on a grassy field with a white sky background, silhouetted against the horizon.
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A bride and groom dancing at a wedding reception.
A group of people dancing at a wedding reception.
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