How does this sound/ how can I save the budget!!

[Yuppie20]

Hi all,
So I'm trying to work out my wedding day and going round in circles. Wedding day booked next year in the summer.
Wedding ceremony and dinner all in one place with accommodation for everyone available if they wish to stay.
Rough idea is as follows,
3pm ceremony
3 30pm canapies/drinks (pop off for photos)
4pm magician sort of entertainment/ kids area with games etc and some adult games on the lawn maybe
5.30/ 6pm dinner to include speeches etc.
8pm cake cut
8.30pm flamenco dancers for entertainment. (30mins or so?)
10pm live music starts
11/12am midnight feast.
1am playlist for the last ones remaining.

I really want entertainment and there's nothing worse than people being bored or hungry but also the budgets taking a hit.
We are lucky the venue provides all the flowers and decor and table plans/ menus etc so don't have to worry about that. Also venue provides canapies/ drinks/ dinner and midnight feast so thats also taken care of. Don't need transport because I can get ready at the venue before the ceremony and partner really not fussed.
Photographer is really important as I'm big into Photography and I want some sunset photos which is about half 9, 10pm due to summer hours so that's added more cost . I just don't know where to compromise? Help? And big thanks!

I wouldn’t bother with the flamenco dancers or the magician. Buy some garden games for the lawn if you want people to have something to do.

I was about to say straight away sack off the entertainment but then read that’s what is really important to you and in that case you should keep it as it is your wedding But just to say that as a guest I would not be at all put out if there was no entertainment at a wedding as long as there was good food and drink!

Can you cancel the midnight feast and just have a few snacks or is it part of the package you’ve gone for? Just if I’d eaten a three course meal at 6pm I wouldn’t be very hungry at all for the rest of the night, I’d be happy with some crisps and a bit of wedding cake.

It sounds like a lovely day OP congrats!

In fact, you know your guests but I’d say quite a few might have started to leave by 11pm/midnight so might not even be there for the midnight food you have paid for

I'd start the music much earlier. The kids will want to dance before they have to go and most people love the dance/chat bit the most as it's relaxed. You'll also likely be tired and sozzled by ten and you want to be fresher for you first dance if you're doing one. I'd cut out the flamenco unless it's important to you.

I don't think guests are going to want to sit and watch anything (the dancers, for example) for 30 mins. I would keep the entertainment much shorter, or just have it in the background. Two hours for games seems a long time, I agree with the poster above who said to start the music much earlier.

How about musicians playing background music earlier instead, I went to a wedding that had a soloist playing during the gap between the service and the reception and it was lovely.

Or have the dancers perform when the guests are eating their canapes, that might work well.

OK thanks everyone so far...
Just to clarify a few details to help out. I'm having spanish acoustic guitar for ceremony and drinks reception so maybe cut the magician and have the flamenco dancers during the drinks reception? The Spanish aspect is mainly because my side of the family are spanish and will be flying over for it so I really wanted a bit of Mediterranean flavour going on without it being themed.
I plan on having kids area with teepees and Blankets and like colouring Station etc for them to stay entertainment. All things I can pick up from fb etc so really a big expense.
All the food and cocktails are included in the package at venue. It's also in ireland and my partners family are drinkers and need food to line their stomachs 😂
My problem is I want it all! But my bank balance is saying no haha.
Because venue is average 2 hours away from everyone it's likely 90% of the guests will be staying over the night including all the kids. Maybe start the music at 9pm instead.
Also no fancy cake, we really not fans so doing a dessert table or our favourite treats, some that will be made my family!

*kids- area not really a big expense

We had a 3pm service and didn't bother with canapes, just welcome drinks. At 3pm most people will have had lunch (not like a 1pm set ice which is awkward) and wiating until 6pm for dinner is hardly a hardship without food. We didn't find people missed them at all and it saved us a good wedge of money.

*service

We had a 2.30pm wedding. No canapes

No entertainment bar a caricaturist and a dj. I like catching up with people at weddings - I definitely wouldn't want to watch a magician etc when I could be chatting with pals I'd not seen in a while

Sounds lovely but I think there's a lot of hanging around. 90 minutes of magician and games would be far too long for me, just sit me down and get me some food! Maybe have the magician walking round the tables between courses?
Then 30 minutes of flamenco dancers but another hour before music? What's the hour for?
The best wedding I went to was 3pm ceremony, 3.30pm drinks and photos, 4.30pm dinner, 6.30pm speeches, 7pm music, 8pm buffet, finished at midnight. No hanging around. It was amazing.
Also if you're going to have it all printed somewhere, just to note that it's "Canapés".

The only reason I suggested a magician was because our friend got married last year and had one. He just went round the groups of people doing tricks and he was frigging amazing! But something has to give so I concede the magician is getting the cut, again on the food it's all included in the package, and the venue because it was across the border was thousands cheaper than anywhere else closer to home offering a lot less in the package!

@Shambleseya
Yes that was my concern a lot of hanging about in-between things, so I'll giggle the times again, thank you. There will be a courtyard with tables set up for after dinner which is where I plan the flamenco dancers will go and then inside the live music will be (all weather permitting of course!)
And noted canapés!! 😂

*jiggle!!

Like most, I wouldn't have the flamenco dancers nor the magician.

I'd cut the time between the ceremony and the meal (which also means you can cut the canapes.

Either start the meal earlier or have the ceremony later. Then just start the dancing (for guests) / music after you have cut the cake. Nobody wants to sit and "be entertained" at that point.

I think serving food at midnight is far too late too.

Are some people coming for the evening only ?

I agree that even in summer, it all seems to start so late. I know many people, esp with small children, would be leaving by 11-12! Unless the vast majority of guests are Spanish, or it will be held in Spain?

Start the music earlier and reduce the gap for photos. If you want sunset pics, why can't you start the music at 9pm and nip out afterwards to have those taken?

3pm ceremony
3 30pm canapies/drinks and garden games (pop off for photos)
4.30/ 5 dinner to include speeches etc.
7.30 flamenco dancers for entertainment. (30mins or so?)
8pm cake cut followed by music
10pm food

Way too much entertainment - a magician, Spanish guitarist, flamenco dancers AND a band!

Pick two. People want to chat and dance, not watch entertainment all night! And start the evening stuff way earlier.

I'd eat earlier, canapés don't keep you going for that long! Then bring the evening food forward as well. Many people will be ready for their beds by then after a full day!
I'd have meal at 4.30 and evening food at 9pm. This will also help soak up the alcohol before it gets too much!
I'd also drop the dancers. The guitar music sounds lovely, but I wouldn't want to sit and watch dancing - feels a bit cruise ship/holiday entertainment.
If you want something to occupy people do something a bit more diy - a quiz, photo booth etc. I made a 'tattoo station' with loads of temporary tattoos. Everyone ended the night covered in them - children and adults!

Sorry posted too soon. Lots of messing about here. I’d be heading out for snacks before midnight or even 11.
I find entertainment cringey at a wedding, particularly magicians.
So have suggested a running order that I would prefer

In fact 7.30 is too late for evening entertainment to start. Needs to be 6.30 then music at 7 with food at 9.

So good suggestions above. I'll start the lie music in the evening earlier about 9ish then.
The Spanish guitar is our ceremony music and background music for the drinks reception so not something people have to stay and watch as such. Magician is cut.
My partners enormous family want a badminton match with the lads 🙈🤣 which I think sounds sweaty and crazy lol but each to their own so I guess that's the lawn games.
Can't cut any of the food/ canapés as already included. The canapés are continously serves throughout the drink reception.
Tbf I'll be ready for my bed too by 10 but his side of the family are a bit wild and will be up till bar closes at 4am lol
@ineedsun I like your revised timings, thank you.
Also is cake cutting essential, it's literally there because I feel its one of them things you have to do but neither really care that much tbh

Also will move the midnight feast to half 10? Maybe earlier? I'll be meeting with the wedding planner for the venue next month to discuss all the options so I guess it depends on what they say too!

Also meant to add that people can't check in to room until after the ceremony which is annoying so there needs to be time for people to do that during the drinks reception as majority of guests will be staying the night.
The set up if accommodation as well is such that people can put the younger kids to bed in the rooms/ apartments and then chill and chat on tables in the courtyard directly by there rooms and the courtyard gates will be locked so kids can safely sleep away in the evening in their own rooms without parents needing to go away too.