Advice for an English wedding novice please?

[fabulousathome]

DH and I have been invited to a wedding in the Orangery of a famous stately home in the UK in early June. The couple (on is DH's cousin) are hiring it for the wedding, they don't live there of course!

The invitation says that the ceremony starts at 2pm and then says that there will be a "wedding breakfast at 4.30pm so have a good brunch before you come". Then it says there will be a cash bar in the evening.

I have a few what might seem daft questions as because I am from an ethnic minority this is not the type of wedding I have been to before. Please forgive my ignorance and give me some good advice. It's not a religious ceremony.

I'm sure the majority of English people who have been to weddings will know this. It's just me that doesn't.

a) There is no finishing time on the invitation. Can anyone estimate the finishing time? If it hadn't been for a mention of the cash bar, I genuinely wouldn't have realised it went on into the evening at all! Will there be dancing or not?

b) Should I wear an evening type of dress (bit of glitter, floor length, and statement jewellery) or is it more of a smart afternoon dress e.g. shorter with a jacket. Or compromise and get a cocktail type dress? Will people wear hats or fascinators or bare headed?

c) What is a wedding breakfast exactly? does it mean tea (i.e. scones/jam and cake) or is a full meal or something else? I have no idea what would be served at 4.30pm and be called breakfast.

a) It will probably go on til about 11. There will probably be dancing of some kind.
b) I would go for a smart afternoon dress / cocktail type dress, not full on evening wear.
c) A wedding breakfast is usually a proper meal (3 course I would imagine if the wedding is somewhere smart). It would be very unlikely to be scones!

Have fun!

Ok,

A) finish time will be not before 11pm unlikely to be after 1am. 99% there will be dancing unless for some reason you haven't stated they hate dancing. If you have young DC it is fine to leave anytime after the speeches (probably around 7pm onwards judging on the timings you've given here).

B) smart afternoon dress is fine, or cocktail dress with jacket over for the day time. Some people might wear hats, some people will wear fascinators, the majority probably won't.

C) a wedding breakfast means literally to break the fast of the marriage. Traditionally the first food the newlyweds will eat as a married couple, shared with friends and family, community. (In reality they will probably eat canapés before the meal, but maybe not as they have told you to eat a big brunch!). It will either be a 3/4 course formal sit down meal, or a large buffet with choices of hot food. There will probably be more food at about 9pm.

Thank you all for the informative advice.

The wedding is at Blenheim Palace which is v exciting.

Just in case anyone is interested. I had a fab time wore a summer dress, but smart and a bit tailored rather than floaty.

There was a big gap between ceremony and food (nearly 3 hours) with seats only for the oldies (but I could have done with one!) but apart from that it was super.

A couple of people wore sequins and looked rather overdressed. That would have been me so thank you all again!