The following is a list of formalities which typically take place at a wedding reception:

The Wedding Party Arrival & Entrance

Upon your arrival to your reception, your DJ will meet & greet you accordingly and briefly review the order of events which will take place. It is very common these days to make a formal entrance by allowing your DJ to announce each member of the wedding party into the room. This makes your reception look classy & professional and it is highly recommended.
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The Toast

Usually, toasts are given before dinner, by the best man and maid/matron of honor. Toasts are most definitely one of the highlights of the event. It gives the Bride & Groom a chance to really shine in the spotlight. It also gives the best man, maid/matron of honor, and possibly other members of the wedding party to tell memories & stories about the Bride & Groom. As soon as everyone raises their glass, and someone says “here, here”, it’s almost as if the reception has officially begun. In most cases after the toast has concluded, a minister or family member gives a dinner prayer. Normally the toast is done before the prayer. Once the toast and prayer have concluded, dinner is ready to be served. Your DJ will make announcements about dinner instructions based on the reception hall’s coordination.
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The Cake Cutting

Cake is obviously served for dessert, which is why in some cases the cake is cut immediately after the wedding party’s entrance. This gives a chance for the Bride & Groom to cut the cake while their guests are most definitely watching, given the entrance has just happened and the Bride & Groom are now the center of attention. It also gives the reception hall a chance to prepare the cake and have it ready to serve immediately following dinner. However, it is common for the cake cutting to take place after the toast & prayer have concluded, or during dinner. Your DJ will assist you in making this decision.
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The Formal Dances

Typically, after dinner the formal dances begin.
Usually, the formal dances consist of 5 special dances.
     Bride & Groom dance
     Wedding Party dance
     Father-Daughter dance
     Mother-Son dance
     Parents’ dance
You can pick and choose as you please which ones you want to do, and the order they go.
However, 100 % of the time the Bride & Groom dance is always first.
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The Bouquet & Garter Tosses

The Bouquet & Garter tosses are very traditional. They almost always happen at a wedding reception, because it gives a chance for your single guests to formally participate. The bouquet toss is for “single ladies”,  and the garter toss is for “single guys”. Once this formality has begun, your DJ will call the “single ladies” out to the dance floor and inform them it is time for the bouquet toss. The bouquet toss always happens before the garter toss. Once all the single ladies have come to the dance floor, your DJ will give a “1-2-3” count, and the bride will toss the bouquet. After the bouquet toss is done, your DJ will call the “single guys” out to the dance floor, and they will participate. The single guys are usually called out before the garter “removal”, which gives a chance for the guys to watch the groom remove the garter up close. Typically, during the removal of the garter, your DJ will play a fancy “stripper” song, very old fashioned sounding, yet, people cannot help but laugh and enjoy what is happening. Once the garter has been removed, your DJ will once again,
give a “1-2-3” count, and the groom will toss the garter.
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The Dollar Dance

Once the Bouquet & Garter tosses have concluded, usually the Bride & Groom conduct a “dollar dance”. Dollar dances used to be very traditional, however, these days after the Bouquet & Garter tosses have concluded, people are usually ready to party! So if you don’t have a dollar dance, you won’t be considered “breaking a tradition.” Typically the best man and maid/matron of honor will collect the money as people come up to dance with the Bride or Groom.We do recommend having a dollar dance, because it gives your guests a chance to chat and dance with the Bride or Groom for money.
In other words, they must pay to dance with the Bride or Groom.