Timings on wedding day

[CremeDeSudo]

Hi all..hoping for some opinions pls!

OH and I are considering getting married next yr and wondering how best to structure the day.

We're not interested in a traditional wedding, it'll be registry office with immediate family and a party. Winter wedding. However we have 2 children, DS will be 7.5 and DD 2.5. We'd like to have a kids disco/entertainer first, then party for the adults later.

We were thinking of only feeding the immediate family who came during the day, then a buffet later.

Wwyd?

Worrying that those who bring children but aren't there during the day could be waiting a long time for their buffet IYSWIM?!

Were you planning on having a wedding cake? If you are maybe you could either cut it earlier and serve some with tea & coffee an hour in to the children’s party or you could cut it during the party (kids might love this!). Spare cake could then be served later as part of the evening buffet for your other guests.

Ah that's a good idea! Yes, definitely need cake

We had a wedding wedding. Got married at 2. Meal was at 4. Evening pie and peas was at 7.

Do you have a plan on what time you are marrying?

Who are you expecting to bring children but not come to the day part? I wouldn't be keen on that without children, and definitely wouldn't do it with them, pretty much irrespective of timings.

We had:
Registry office 3pm
Drinks 4.30
Dinner 5.30
Party at home 8.30

Kids ages were from 6 to 14. There were only about 40 there in total though.

Are you inviting just immediate family to the wedding & friends to the evening? If so, just feeding immediate family would be fine, with a buffet at night. If you're inviting others or expecting others to come during the day, you need to feed them. Reading your post I'm not sure which you have planned.

No plans at all yet. We've never had any interest in getting married until recently, and literally have no clue.

We thought at the registry office it would just be parents, siblings and their families (although I'm not sure if that might be too many people for a registry office?)

Kids party would hypothetically include siblings children, cousins children, friends children. Without evening thinking too hard we could have 30+ children there. Everyone can hang around as long as they like after the kids party but we'd have a disco for the adults later. We would also be inviting childless friends and family!

Is this a really silly idea? I wanted to involve our children and make it a family celebration. Especially as it's not something I'm particularly precious about.

How about kids entertainment then kids food buffet, topping with adult food as the adult guests arrive. If you choose a venue you can do your own food, the supermarkets do platters of kids party food

No it sounds like a lovely idea, but I think you need to provide some food for everyone. Where do you think you'll go after the register office? If it's somewhere you can provide food, you could get some pre made platters & party food & have with cake. Or maybe do an afternoon tea type thing with some sandwiches, scones, cakes & maybe a sweet area for the kids, or hire an ice cream van. Then do a more grown up buffet at night for the adults, or a hog roast/bbq.

That's interesting. Guess we don't have to have a meal with the registry people. Hmm. Lots to think about before we've even started!

Does it have to be a 'kids' party'? Why not make it just something relaxed for everyone. Our reception was in a village hall with a garden. We did:
2.30 ceremony
4pm tea, (and champagne), cake, speeches followed by games for kids, papers / games / chatting for adults while we did photos
6.30 pie and mash
Then music etc into the evening

I think people really appreciated the 4pm tea and cake! And it was lovely and informal.

Do what makes you happy and have a lovely day.

Oh and we had a platter of sandwiches paid for at a local pub for people who had travelled a long way so they could have a bite to eat before the ceremony. Pub let them park there for the day too.