Ideas please

[Tabbytan]

Hiya

Booked a meal at restaurant for my wedding meal.down to budget! .about 30 people coming, adults and 8 kids aged 7 to 15..

Got table for six hours...thinking how to plan the meal out.. was offered by the venue to have champagne and canapes on arrival ( is this worth it he money) then how long till meal...how long do you think it will take a three course meal..when do we do cutting of the cake.

Worried it be all rushed and everyone be bored sitting there, can't have music as the place still be open to public but given private area of the place , but people can still walk past to get to the garden area...

Any help. Advice or ideas would be appreciated thank you !!!
Tanny x

What are the timings? When is the wedding? When do you have the restaurant from?

Yes have food and drink on arrival.

Allow 2 hours for a three course meal.

Could your cutting of the cake be before desert and the desert be the cake?

It be November.. from 5pm ...
We have no set plan as of yet...everyone keeps asking us so best get thinking
..
We all arrive at 5..so I gather champagne on arrival do I bother with canapes? Are they worth it?
What time does anything think the meal should start...it's starters, mains, dessert .
And when should we cut the cake as it's going into mini cake boxes for everyone to take home.
Do I bother with table favours, the restaurant said I can drop everything like favours, decorations on the morning and they set it up for me .
Just worried as got table for six hours , seems long time once food been eaten everyone be bored etc trying to think how to plan it all.

It is a huge amount of time to sit in a restaurant.

what time id the ceremony.

Ceremony is local church 3pm. Hour for ceremony hour for photos

so people would have last eaten at lunchtime.

5-6 i still think canapés and a drink on arrival and milling around.

6-8 meal

8-?? speeches.

??-11 ??? I really dont know. What was your plan?

No idea that's why I was asking for help and ideas ...

it’s a restaurant you dont have fully and cannot p’ay music, so no dancing. No entertainment.

I mean, when you were considering different venues you must have had thoughts on how you wanted the evening to go?

No offence OP but you must have had a plan in mind when you chose the venue. I understand that finances might be tight but if you're paying for champagne, canapies and 3 course meal for 30 people (and drinks - whether alcohol or soft), would it not have been just as cost effective to book a small room with a buffet where you could have music, room to move around, mingle? Even if adults can bear to sit at restaurant table for 6 hours, would a 7 yo? Or maybe just have your meal and then all decamp to local pub?

I would 100% prioritize canapés over starters if you have to choose, ppl need something to soak up the bubbly with IF you have standing around with a drink time before you sit down to eat.
If you're doing straight in to be seated as soon as you arrive, don't bother

I dont see people wanting to stay past 9am tbh without anything to do. It is a LONG time to sit. My dh’s cousin hired a hall, had a band and a buffet and big garden games.

I am not paying for champagne the venue is out of good will gesture...I am tea total so is my partner and parents..so few glasses are non alcoholic.. It's a set cheap menu ...with one drink included and rest people have to pay ..they are okay with this...as discussed this with them before..
I was only asking for ideas how to entertain the kids and general ideas regarding the night....
We only wanted a small family day , but I was only asking for ideas..my youngest daughter has ADHD and autism so don't do loud music or flashing lights hence no dj...otherwise she be sat with head phones on all night...

For the kids have a bag of stuff like colouring book, crayons, little toys, uno / dobble. But still 6 hours in a Restaurant sat at a table just isnt likely.

for the adult table, what about a game of some sorts since youre limited to being sat?

Again, no offence, but you must have had an idea of what to do for six hours if you've booked for six hours. From your update, you give information that may have been relevant to include in your OP.
You know your family and friends best and you must have spent other evenings together where you had to entertain yourselves and also know how best to keep your DD happy.
That said, I still think it would still be difficult to provide private entertainment for six hours in such a public place, possibly with people nipping through to garden for sneaky smoke all night. Does the restaurant bit have to last six hours? Maybe have a lovely, leisurely meal and then maybe back to your house for tea and wedding cake where people can move about freely without being interrupted by strangers? You could then have some pleasant background music, kids could play some games, adults too, I guess

Board games and card games on the tables? Simple nostalgic ones like snakes and ladders rather than anything very complex. My cousin had a table quiz with questions about the bride and groom- pets names, where they met, first job etc and had a little 'presentation' where they told us the answers and gave it a few prizes at the end (highest score/knows groom best/knows bride best/lowest score). There was some trading of answers between tables who knew bride/groom better, which was a bit of an ice breaker.

Can you use the garden as well? You could have big Jenga etc if the weather is nice, a bubble machine for younger children (if venue permits)

I think canapes on arrival will be nice.. if it's a venue they can mill about it, I'd let them do this for first 2 hours... that time will fly, people will be catching up, taking photos, having a few drinks. Make sure you tell them dinner is at 7 so they know to eat lunch and won't be starving!
Then go to tables, have some short speeches- if that's ok with restaurant.
Serve the meal about 7.
I imagine 3 courses broken up a bit would be about 2 hours.. then the evening might start to naturally wrap up. Some people will have a few more drinks or maybe go on somewhere else, some will go home after meal.
Sounds like a nice wedding celebration to me. Very relaxed and intimate.
I agree 6 hours at a table would be too long for most. .if you have to be sat at the table the whole time, I would probably keep it a bit shorter.
I wouldn't bother with games at the tables if it were me- unless you know people will really want to do that- save your money- or put it towards a small favour. I'm old fashioned but still think disposable cameras are great for weddings!
I think your guests will be absolutely fine with what you want to do!
Enjoy your day!

I would expect you to get there later than 5 as 2 hours for ceremony and photos probably is tight. I would expect the meal to take 3 hours too as group meals take ages!