Dinner and Toasts: Which Comes First?
Most couples hold the toasts before the meal is served or while guests are eating, and both orders are fine. The right pick depends on your room, your speakers and your menu.
The order also affects how hot the food stays and how long guests wait. This guide compares each timing so you can choose with confidence. Your wedding caterer should know your choice before the day.
Do Wedding Toasts Go Before or After Dinner?
There is no single rule. Toasts can happen before dinner, between courses or after the meal. Each one works when the people running the day plan for it.
One common order puts the toasts early. Mike Staff Productions says the maid of honor and best man usually give a toast before dinner service begins. The plus is that guests can focus on the words without servers moving around.
Another common order puts the speeches during the meal. WeddingWire’s reception timeline says toasts are typically given while guests enjoy the reception meal, when everyone is already seated.
Toasts before dinner
Guests are seated, they have a drink and the room is quiet. Speakers get it over with, then enjoy their own meal. The downside is a longer wait for food if the speeches run long.
Toasts after dinner
Guests eat while the food is hot, then settle in for the speeches. People are relaxed and fed, so they often listen better. The downside is that some guests start to wander toward the bar or dance floor.
Toasts between courses
Some couples split the speeches across a plated meal. One or two go after the first course and the rest come with dessert. This keeps each speech short but needs a kitchen that knows the cues.
Whichever order you pick, tell your caterer and your DJ or emcee in advance. The kitchen times every plate to the plan.
How Does the Order Change Your Dinner Service?
The order of toasts changes how the kitchen works. A speech that runs long while plates sit on the pass means cooler food at the table.
Length matters here. WeddingWire says each speech should run about three to six minutes. Mike Staff Productions warns that listeners start to tune out after two minutes.
Do the math on the speakers
Say you have five speakers at four minutes each. That is 20 minutes of talking, plus a minute or two between speakers. Put that in front of dinner and guests wait more than 20 minutes to eat.
A plated dinner needs a clear signal
For a plated meal, servers carry out many plates at once. They need a clear start time. If the toasts run late, the kitchen holds the food or serves guests during the speeches.
Buffets and stations are more flexible
A buffet or food station can stay open while speeches happen, or open right after. Guests can eat when they want.
Not sure which style fits? See our guide to buffet vs food station service.
The simple rule is this. Short speeches work before dinner. Longer ones work better once guests have eaten.
How Do Baltimore Caterers Plan Around Toasts?
At Evolved Catering Baltimore, our team works with your wedding planner, your venue and your other vendors so the catering runs smoothly. That includes when the toasts happen.
Our staff is trained in fine dining service, and we handle setup, service and cleanup. When we know your speech plan, we time each course to it. That way plates leave the kitchen when the room is ready for them.
The more options you have on the menu, the more the timing matters. We serve plated dinners, buffets, family-style meals and dinner stations for Baltimore weddings, and each one has its own rhythm.
The venue matters too. Ask early whether your space has set quiet hours, a sound system or a strict end time. According to WeddingWire, cake cutting often comes after the toasts and dessert, and before the special dances, so toasts can push the rest of the night back.
A speech plan that runs 15 minutes long can cut into dance time, especially if your DJ or band has a set block.
We offer tastings 4 to 8 weeks before your event, which is a good time to talk through timing with us.
If cake is part of your toast moment, see how much cake you need for 100 guests.
How Do You Choose the Best Order for Your Wedding?
Start with your speakers. If you have two or three short speeches, toasts before dinner work well. If you have five or more, hold most of them until after the meal.
Next, look at your guests. If many guests are older, kids or people who ate early in the day, they may be hungry. Serve first and speak second.
Then look at your menu style. A plated dinner needs firm cues, so pick a clear plan. A buffet or food station gives you more room to shift.
Finally, ask your photographer and your DJ. Some photographers want the cake cut early. Your DJ can cue each speaker and keep the room on time.
Give your speakers a heads-up about 10 minutes before their turn. This gives them time to finish eating and look over their notes.
Write the plan down in one short timeline. Share it with the planner, the venue, the DJ and your caterer. When all of them work from the same page, the night runs on time.
Whatever you pick, keep each speech short and keep the order clear. A calm timeline makes the dinner better for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dinner and Wedding Toasts
How long should wedding toasts be?
Plan on about three to six minutes per speech, per WeddingWire. Shorter is better. Guests start to tune out after two minutes, so keep each toast brief.
Who gives toasts first at a wedding?
The maid of honor and best man often go first. The father of the bride may give a welcome speech before toasting the couple. The couple can also thank their guests.
Can the caterer in Baltimore hold dinner until the toasts end?
Yes. A caterer can time courses around your speech plan. Tell your Baltimore caterer the order and the speaker count in advance, so the kitchen can hold or send plates at the right time.
Plan Your Wedding Timeline With Evolved Catering Baltimore
Tell us your date, your guest count and your toast plan, and we will help you time every course for your Baltimore wedding.