Wedding evening do etiquette question help please

[Kedgeree]

We're going to a wedding evening do tonight. The invitation says 7pm. We're going with another couple and the venue is a 30 min drive away, we're driving and picking them up on the way. I saw one of the couple this morning and said we would pick up at 7pm, arriving at the venue at 7:30. He's just phoned me in a panic saying that they think they'll have to make their own way their so they're on time.

He says he's worried that we'll miss the "grand entrance and first dance" at 7, and we'll be late for "the sit-down dinner and have to find our table with everyone looking at us". IME, the evening do isn't a sit down dinner (there's nothing on the invitation to suggest that it is and the bride told DH there's a burger van), the first dance happens at 9pm (because that's the signal that those who want or need to leave can go) and the time on an invite means "not before".

My friend thinks that because this couple are very (very very) wealthy, there must be a formal dinner and dance.

What would you do?

Pics already on fb indicate that the wedding ceremony took place around 2pm, maybe a little earlier. On that basis there is definitely no sit down dinner this evening.

Black tie with a burger van? Naffola. I'd tell the other couple I'd be there for 6.45 and then just show up late.

Black tie and burger van sounds odd to me. Evening receptions are not complete without a sausage roll!

Your mate is in for a shock expecting a meal!! Do update as to their reaction!!!

Can you update and let us know which it was please? I need to know.

Ok, we're just back. Timing didn't really matter, people were drifting in. We got there at 7:30. First dance was at 8:30, then buffet was served - no van. Food was a mix of things like king prawn skewers, samosas, mini cheese muffins, choux buns stuffed with smoked salmon mousse, mini quiche etc. Not a sausage roll in sight . Two kinds of cake were served at 11pm.

Was your f fiend disappointed he didn’t get his sit down dinner?
And did he have time to dye his beard?

Ha, he didn't have time to do his beard, he didn't cut his partner's hair so they bickered about that in the car and he was generally disappointed that it was a very normal sort of wedding considering how wealthy they are 🙄. Plenty of booze and dancing though, which cheered him up.
It was a nice evening and my feet are killing me!

Oh and there was one rather odd thing I noticed - no real flowers. In June. A summer wedding with no real flowers. Plenty of paper and plastic ones, but no real ones.

Maybe someone in the family has bad allergies?

I didn't have real flowers - I think they are an enormous waste. I had paper and silks.

I'm doubtful about the allergies tbh because the wedding was at their home, in a marquee in their garden. Plenty of flowers growing there, but none at all for the wedding itself. You could be right of course, but I'd be surprised Nauseous.