Two sets of guests Twilight wedding

[Madisonave03]

Has anyone done this? If so how did you do things?

For context, we've booked a twilight package but the venue are flexible letting us have it from 4/5pm if we want for same price (usually it's from 7pm). This includes a hot buffet for 120. DP wants less at the church ceremony so it's more intimate but now I don't know how to manage the timings of the buffet or when to ask these other guests to arrive. 7pm is too late because I want people to eat before then. Curious to hear if anyone else did two sets of guests and how you played it.

If you're plannning to have the ceremony between 4-5, with the best will in the world you're not going to be eating much before 6, and that's being optimistic. By the time you've had photos, herded everyone from church to reception venue, reception drinks. Getting a 120 people through a buffet in less than an hour - no chance. Then there are the speeches (whether you have them before, during or after the meal, they often take longer than planned (unless you have a buzzer and a traffic light warning system - which isn't a bad idea and sometimes they can go one & on.) So I doubt very much you would be finished with the meal much before 8.

So ask the photographer how long they usually take. Check how long it will take people to get from church to venue and as it's rush hour add on 30mins. Check with the venue on time taken for 120 through a buffet. Give each of the 'speakers' a max of 5 mins each.

Put all that together, add an hour and that's your evening do start time. Please bear in mind - it's grim being kept waiting outside a venue for the evening part to start so you will need to be ready to greet your evening guests spot on the time you give. And designate someone to keep the timings on track - NOT YOU. You are there to enjoy your wedding. Ask your Mum or the venue planner

Had a twilight and no way would this work. It went so incredibly fast. Just invite the people you want to the whole thing.

We got married at 4pm. There’s no way we could have fitted in 2 sets of guests.

Nope
Invite everyone to the church or you will be rushing and it just won't be as nice

Having everyone at the actual ceremony will make everything else more special too

Hi sorry I should have put that the church ceremony will be 3pm, or maybe earlier. We can arrive at the venue anytime which is 25 min away. Church said we can give the guests a drink too for while photos are taken so there's no big rush to the venue.

Include all guests at the church.
No second class citizens and the buffet will work better.

We did this and it worked perfectly. Ceremony 3.30pm, reception 4.15-6pm, dinner 6-8pm, evening guests arrived at 8pm and we finished about 1am. We had finger food for the evening guests served around 9.30