Cocktail Hour
It is a rare wedding indeed in which all the pictures are done prior to the wedding ceremony. Chances are you will need to do some if not all of your formal photographs afterwards. Meanwhile, some of the last minute things your guests may have had to deal with, such as wrapping wedding presents or picking up dry cleaning, may have prevented them from eating as well as they should. If passed hors d'oeuvres aren't within your budget, it's very thoughtful to at least have a veggie tray or cheese and crackers somewhere people can help themselves so, while those not involved with photos are having a snack and a beverage of their choice, you have time to get done exactly what you need. Often some lively jazz or acoustic music provided by your wedding DJ works well for this. It supports the upbeat feelings associated with having witnessed two people devoting their lives to one another, and fills in nicely if conversation drops off while people are getting to know each other for the first time, perhaps. The good wedding disc jockey should know to keep the music at a low to moderate volume so guests will have no difficulty hearing each other speak.