Wedding timeline- what the general consensus?

[Misunderstoodagain]

Hi!
I posted a while back, different name I think, about wedding timeline.
So this is the refined version. Summer wedding, 95% guests staying overnight at venue. The whole thing is in one place. There are no evening guests, everyone is invited to it all.

2pm- guests can arrive and avail of the bar if they wish. (Will be approx 1hr 45 min drive for most people who aren't flying in)
3pm- non religious garden ceremony
3.30pm - unlimited canapies and cocktail reception. Wedding cake will also be served during this time. Variety of lawn games and kids play area will be set up (lots of children in attendance)

5.30pm dinner call
6pm dinner served - 5 course meal and speeches
8pm - dj starts/ 1st dance over and done with as quickly as possible!

10- 10.30pm- tea and coffee and wine served with a cheese wheel wedding cake and the cake left overs.

12pm midnight sliders/ hotdogs or similar
2am- sober up snacks for the party animals.

I know for some this goes on really late however accommodation is on site and I'd say kids and older ones will be tucked in bed by 12, but for half of them they will still be at the bar when it closes at 4am 😅
The reason for two wedding cakes is that neither of us really like cake so went for the cheese and then our respective mothers and aunties were up in arms about so one aunty has paid for a cake 🤣, I'll not complain.
Hopefully no one will go hungry 😋
I have a Spanish family so food was important and they are used to weddings going on to the early hours! It's was hard to find a middle ground to accommodate the majority of guests who will be Irish!
Any thoughts on changes or timelines anyone can add please
And thanks in advance.

sounds lovely. There's obviously a lot of food points during the day - but it sounds like the party will be going for nearly 24hrs anyway!. And it sounds like food is important. the only thing that sounds a bit odd is the 10pm tea and cake slot - is this to take account of relatives who will be gasping for a cuppa by this point? There's loads of scope for the party animals to be absolutely bladdered, specially pre sit down dinner!.

The tea and coffee was apart of the suggested timeline given by the venue so I thought why not but when mentioning to people they actually really like it. I think our parents and older aunties /uncles would appreciate a wind down time before slinking off to their rooms.
I do worry about our old uni friends and the alcohol but then it's ireland and the norm 🙃 the good thing is we've all hopefully matured somewhat and a fair few will have kids with them!

There’s not enough time for dinner and speeches. 5 courses plus short speeches will take at least 3 hours, if not longer.

We had a cheese wedding cake, we cut the cake straight after dinner on the way to first dance then had it served up from 9.30pm ish with loads of bread, fruit and crackers. I don’t think you then need midnight food and further snacks at 2. It will get wasted.

What is the plan if there is torrential rain?

I think it sounds great but i agree 2 hours sounds punchy for a 5 course meal and speeches.

Agree a 5 course meal with speeches is tight for 2 hours. I wouldn't bother with pre ceremony bar.

The meal/speeches definitely needs to be longer..
I think you're spending too much on food, I had a similar time line and the food after the meal (served circa 11:30) wasn't touched all that much - you've three good points after the dinner, I think one about 11/12 is more than enough, two at the most.
I was sad seeing the food go to waste..

The earliest I've seen the dancing start with that time for dinner is 9:30, the latest 11!!

Agree with 2 hrs not enough. You need 3

With a long distance like that for the majority of people, I'd do tea/coffee and canapes during the arrival bit as well as after. People will have left extra time for traffic, so could have left before 11 and will be hungry and thirsty. If they are straight on the cocktails at 3.30 (and no one ever gets a decent meal from canapes and especially if they are veggie, gluten free etc) they will be steaming before dinner, so get them fed and non alcoholic drinks in before, cut the cake immediately after the ceremony so they all get a decent piece in, then carry on with the canapes.
I'd move the cheese wheel to 11, and just do more crackers and bread then instead of midnight sliders, as you aren't going to have finished the sit down meal until 9, and people can pick at the cheese etc for a couple of hours

I think check with the hotel re timeline for dinner and push the first food point after meal and then have the second food point when the dancing has stopped. I think part of the problem at mine was they served the good earlier than I wanted and people just wanted to be drinking and dancing, not eating whereas when the music is over is when people get hungry (think of a timeline on a night out, you're grand for good till 2/3 really) especially after a big dinner!

OK so dinner served at half 5? And then dj half 8? Adds an hour to dinner. Because there's a lot of kids I don't want to prolong it more than I have to. Maybe do one of the speeches at the cake cutting at the reception?
The midnight feast/ 2am snacks are included in the package so no extra cost or rather no savings if we take it off so might as well keep them.
The pre ceremony bar is an option for those that would like to get there earlier to freshen up and check in to rooms but certainly not the start time. I will tell everyone that ceremony is at 3pm and if they would like to meet up before the option is there. There will be a couple of disabled guests that I know will want to arrive early to sort out mobility equipment etc.

Torrential rain I'm praying doesn't happen but if so everything gets moved inside, it would be disappointing but the venue is beautiful so no hardship. The kids area will be moved to where the ceremony will take place afterward it but lawn games obviously will have to be scrapped. Might come up with an indoor activity for people to pass the time....

My biggest fear was people being hungry as previous weddings I've been to food was definitely an issue, now I feel like people are going to be stuffed and rolling out the venue 🤣.
I plan on any left over cheese/ cake can be taken at the morning breakfast the next day and will provide boxes so people can take a bit home if they want.
I will say about scrapping the 2am snacks because as a lot of you point out it's all a little too much!

Are you getting photos taken after the ceremony? That will take time too.
And then make sure there's enough time for the canape reception.
Hotels generally allow a half hour to get people to the tables from the time the bell rings and then to take orders..
Also, it's just a DJ, no band? Will he be set up and ready to go or is he coming after the meal? Do tables need to be moved to make a dance floor?

@Rowen32
It's an estate rather than a hotel. The dinner will be upstairs from the bar/ dance area that is then open to the courtyard so no need to move tables etc. Dj will set up during dinner and ready to go for when we are.
Pictures after the ceremony, I've asked for this to be short and sweet, 1 hour max for personal photos and group ones, I have spent to much to miss the reception 😅 and hate getting my photo taken. Luckily our photographer is big on the natural candid style photography so won't need a lot of time for posed photos so hoping to make it even shorter 😊
There's a continous flow of canapies for 2 hours so maybe best keeping the dinner at 6 to allow time for people to get hungry again? Maybe get the dj for 9 then.

Canapes aren't really food. People will eat them because they're hungry but everyone will be excited for dinner as canapes are tiny and only vigilant people get lots.

I think the proposed 2.5 hour hanging about drinking before dinner sounds a bit tedious TBH. I know everyone's different but to me this is the worst part of the wedding. Bride and Groom struggling round to try and talk to anyone (when in fact they can talk to many of them later post dinner as well) and boring as hell for any guests who don't know a lot of other guests. Last time I went to a wedding like this I ended up taking myself off for a big walk as there was only so much small talk I could do (and I'm very sociable!) so I agree move dinner a bit earlier if you can.

*to try and talk to EVERYONE, not anyone haha

Can I put in a vote for very short speeches?

Everyone just wants to eat. Most people you ask won't be good public speakers.

I told my speakers they had max 5 minutes - they were all relieved except BIL who had delusions of being a standup. Actually giving him 'max 5 minutes' was good as it is more than enough time to tell everyone how wonderful the bride and groom are, a funny story and something about how you have known and loved them for ages.

I've been to weddings that were near to mutiny over long speeches delaying food.

We had an Irish wedding, with very similar timings / food as you. No one went hungry!! My regret was how long the photos took, so good to see you've already tackled that. I think that moving the meal slightly earlier as suggested is the only change I would make and make sure tea coffee is available at the cocktail hour after the ceremony.
I wouldn't include the 2pm pre meet in your timings - those that want the bar will find it themselves. Also I think scrapping the 2am snacks makes sense- we had finger food around 10.30 and the cake at the same time. Loads of people stayed up til 5am and I don't think anyone wanted food at 2am, we were too busy singing and talking rubbish 😊

Thanks everyone so far!
@AnnaMagnani yes speeches are soooo boring. The guests will all be close family and friends who most will be familiar with but even so it's boring. I think there will only be 3 speeches at most so I think I'll say to keep it short. My dad is not a public speaker and will no doubt dread getting up in front of everyone so don't want to put unnecessary pressure on anyone.
I don't want that boring bit in the middle while everyone waits so we will seriously think about shortening that part.
So far I have dinner at 5 30pm now and dj at 8.30pm and scrap the 2am snacks!
If weather doesn't play nice then and we end up inside might be even worse waiting around with no grounds to wonder ( there's lovely landscape and rivers through out the grounds for people to explore)

@MavisMonkey and yes forgot to add there's tea coffee and homemade short bread being served with the canapies too!

That all sounds lovely.. I'd check it with hotel, they'll be well used to timings.. Also depends on the number of guests as to how quick the dinner will run, know of a 400 guest wedding recently that went so late music couldn't start till 11:30!!

Yeah, as a wedding photographer having moved from the UK to Ireland, I've never seen an Irish first dance before 9.30pm with a 6pm meal!

@RyanYESorNO thanks! It so hard trying to figure it all out. I am so worried about falling asleep by 9 as it is!! 🤣

@Rowen32 no about 100 guests, sod paying for 400!! Yikes who knows that many people 😬

I would drop meal down to 4 courses. 5 course will take forever

We have ours soon, and have dropped to 3 courses as our own child and other won’t last forever at meal, and they have said to allow 2 hours min for 3 courses. We are having dinner 6pm, fireworks at 9pm, so have a 3hr hour gap for speed speeches, 3 course meal, and mingling or heading outside for drinks.

I hope we aren’t starving ours, but you seem to have loads of food!
95% here will also stay night before, so unlimited breakfast at hotel 8-11am.
12.30pm ceremony
1pm canapés and drinks
2-4pm wedding cake, tea/coffee/ cold drinks
5pm cocktails
6pm dinner (3 course)
9.30pm - might add cheese course in the evening, not sure yet