Confetti, First Dances and Toasts — The Reception Moments That Matter Most
Updated 27 October 2026
The reception is where a wedding comes alive. After the ceremony’s emotion and the portraits’ quiet intimacy, the evening brings the moments that guests remember for years: confetti raining down on the newlyweds, the first dance that makes the room go silent, and the speech that has everyone laughing and crying in the same breath. After 22 years photographing Cape Town weddings, these are the reception traditions I look forward to most — and the ones that consistently produce the strongest images.
Planning your wedding reception? I photograph weddings at venues across the Western Cape and can help you time these moments for the best possible images. See my wedding photography page or view packages and pricing.
Get in touch: +27 82 556 7427 · info@riekertcloete.com
The History of Wedding Confetti
Confetti at weddings dates back to the Italian Renaissance, when guests threw sugar-coated almonds — confetti in Italian — at newlyweds as a symbol of prosperity and fertility. The tradition was expensive, so rice became the cheaper alternative. In the Victorian era, paper confetti replaced rice, and the colourful shower we know today was born.
In South African weddings, confetti remains one of the most photographed moments of the day. The explosion of colour, the couple’s reaction, and the split-second timing make it a photographer’s dream — and a nightmare if the timing is wrong. The best confetti shots happen when the photographer knows exactly when the toss is coming and where to stand.
How to Get the Best Confetti Photos
- Use petals or biodegradable confetti. Many Cape Town venues ban plastic confetti. Rose petals, dried lavender, or biodegradable paper confetti photograph beautifully and won’t cause venue issues.
- Appoint a confetti captain. Someone needs to hand out the confetti and tell guests when to throw. Without coordination, half the guests miss the moment.
- Throw high. Confetti thrown at head height catches the light and creates a longer shower. Low throws land on the ground before anyone notices.
- Time it with the exit. The confetti shower works best as the couple walks through a guard of honour — two lines of guests facing each other, throwing simultaneously. I’ll position myself at the end of the line, shooting back towards the couple as they walk through the colour.
The First Dance — From Court Ritual to Centrepiece
The first dance at a wedding has its roots in European court culture, where newlyweds would lead the first dance at their reception as a symbol of their new status as a married couple. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the waltz became the standard wedding dance — a structured, formal affair that demonstrated the couple’s grace and breeding.
Today, the first dance is one of the most anticipated moments of any wedding reception. Some couples choreograph elaborate routines; others simply sway together while the room watches. Both approaches produce powerful images, because the first dance is one of the few moments in a wedding where the couple is genuinely alone in a room full of people.
Tips for a Great First Dance
- Choose a song that means something. The most emotional first dances happen when the song carries real memories. A technically perfect dance to a generic ballad never hits as hard as an imperfect sway to your song.
- Dim the lights. Ask your DJ or venue coordinator to drop the room lights during the first dance. Spotlighting the couple creates drama and intimacy — and it makes the background disappear, putting all the focus where it belongs.
- Don’t overthink it. If choreography isn’t your thing, that’s fine. Hold each other, move to the music, and look at each other. The photograph I’m looking for is the expression on your face, not your footwork.
- Plan the transition. After 90 seconds of the couple dancing alone, invite parents to join, then the bridal party, then everyone. The dance floor fills naturally, and the party begins.
Wedding Toasts and Speeches — The Heart of the Evening
The tradition of raising a toast at a wedding goes back to ancient Greece, where the host would drink first from a communal cup to prove the wine wasn’t poisoned. The word “toast” itself comes from the Roman practice of dropping a piece of spiced toast into wine to reduce acidity. By the 18th century, the wedding toast had become the formal speech we recognise today — the best man, the father of the bride, and sometimes the groom each addressing the room.
In South African weddings, speeches are often the emotional high point of the reception. The best man’s story about the groom, the father’s reflection on watching his daughter grow up, the maid of honour’s tribute to her friend — these moments are unscripted, unrepeatable, and incredibly powerful to photograph.
How Speeches Photograph Best
- Good lighting on the speaker. If the speaker stands in a dark corner, the images will suffer. A well-lit spot — even a single spotlight or a table lamp — makes the difference between a memorable image and a dark, grainy one.
- A microphone the speaker actually uses. This doesn’t affect the photography directly, but a speaker who has to shout loses the intimate tone that makes speeches special. Good audio means natural delivery, which means better expressions to capture.
- Reactions matter as much as the speaker. I shoot the speaker and the room — the couple’s reaction to the best man’s story, the mother wiping away tears, the table erupting in laughter. A speech is a conversation between the speaker and the audience, and the audience’s faces tell the other half of the story.
Timing These Moments for the Best Photography
The order and timing of reception events directly affects how well they photograph. Here’s what works best, based on hundreds of weddings:
| Moment | Best Timing | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Confetti toss | Immediately after the ceremony | Natural daylight + guests are still in formation |
| Speeches | Between starter and main course | Guests are seated, attentive, and not yet restless |
| First dance | After dinner, before open dancing | Sets the tone for the party; guests watch naturally |
| Cake cutting | Just before or after the first dance | Groups both moments near the dance floor setup |
For a detailed guide on structuring your wedding day, see my wedding photography timeline tips. Browse my wedding portfolio to see how these moments look when the timing is right.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of confetti photographs best?
Rose petals and dried flower petals photograph beautifully: they catch the light, come in natural colours and are biodegradable. Dried lavender and biodegradable paper confetti work well too. Metallic confetti creates sparkle but can be messy, and many Cape Town venues ban plastic confetti. Avoid very small confetti or rice, which is hard to see in photographs. Check with your venue about confetti policies before ordering. For the best photographs, appoint a confetti captain to hand it out and tell guests when to throw, and ask guests to throw high, because confetti thrown at head height catches the light and creates a longer shower. Riekert Cloete Photography can help you time the toss for the best possible images.
Should we choreograph our first dance?
Only if you both genuinely want to. A choreographed dance can be spectacular, but a natural sway to a meaningful song is just as powerful photographically. What matters is that you are comfortable and present, not counting steps. The first dance is one of the few moments in a wedding where the couple is genuinely alone in a room full of people, and that is what makes the images work, whether the routine is elaborate or simple. The most emotional first dances happen when the song carries real memories, so choose music that means something to you. Riekert Cloete Photography photographs both approaches, so decide what feels right for the two of you. Check my wedding FAQ for more guidance.
How long should wedding speeches be?
Three to five minutes each is ideal. Long speeches lose the room; short, sincere ones hold it. If you have four speakers, keep the total under 20 minutes. The most memorable speeches I have witnessed were all under four minutes. It helps to agree a running order and a time limit with the speakers beforehand, so the evening keeps its energy and the reception stays on schedule. From a photography point of view a speech works best when the speaker is well lit and the audience is relaxed and responsive, because the reactions are where the emotion shows. Riekert Cloete Photography photographs the speaker and the audience throughout, so the laughter and the tears are both part of the story.
When should the confetti toss happen?
Immediately after the ceremony, as the couple exits. This gives you natural daylight, the guests are already standing and gathered, and the emotion is at its peak. An indoor confetti toss works too, just check with the venue. The confetti shower works best as the couple walks through a guard of honour, two lines of guests facing each other and throwing simultaneously. I position myself at the end of the line, shooting back towards the couple as they walk through the colour. Timing is what makes or breaks the shot, so appoint someone to hand out the confetti and tell guests when to throw. Riekert Cloete Photography can help you plan the exit so the toss happens exactly when the light and the moment are right.
Do you capture the speeches and toasts?
Always. Riekert Cloete Photography photographs the speaker and the audience reactions throughout every speech. These images often become the couple’s favourites because they capture genuine, unposed emotion: the laughter, the tears and the quiet reactions around the room. The speech is the moment that has everyone laughing and crying in the same breath, and the reactions tell that story better than the speaker alone. Share the order of speakers and the running order of the evening with me beforehand, so I know where to be. Get in touch to discuss your reception plans.
Want every reception moment captured?
With 22+ years’ experience and hundreds of Cape Town weddings, I know exactly where to stand and when to shoot to capture confetti, first dances, speeches, and everything between. View my wedding packages or get in touch to check availability.
Riekert Cloete
+27 82 556 7427 · info@riekertcloete.com · WhatsApp
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