New - Need some help/advice

I concur with your worries. How long is your actual service (forget the pictures of the wedding party bit)? Say your service is going to be 35-45 minutes. If it then takes 15 minutes for your guests to travel to the venue, I'd start a drinks reception at the venue at around 5, allowing your guests to have a drink while your photos are being taken. You can then join them after the wedding party photos are done.

Hi Mag - Thanks for replying, I dont know how long the service takes? its a normal c of e church in our village, their will be one reading and then just the normal service etc - Not sure how long that will all take.

I agree that a drinks reception at 5 would be much better and then sit down for 6 but we cant have our venue till 6 as its a restaurant and will stay open through lunch and close for our wedding - they say the earliest they can do this is 6

I would ask your vicar how long the actual service typically takes. I've never been to a Church of England service myself! If it's 35-45 minutes (which is my guess based on other church's services for weddings), how about asking him if you can have the service at 5?

Other potential options:

Can you have a drinks reception on the church grounds anywhere? This is probably displaying my ignorance at what's permitted at churches.

OR

Is there a bar or lounge anywhere close to the venue? Perhaps you could arrange with them to hold a drinks reception?

Also, just realized, you're probably worried that having the service at 5 means you won't sit down until 6:30 or 7, which means you won't finish until 8 or 8:30? Typically bands need 30 minutes or so to set up. Even if you don't start the evening until 8:30 or 9, I think that would be okay. It's only about 30 minutes to an hour later than we're starting ours.

I'm sure that i could have the service at 5, that would solve the gap between the church and when we can have the venue, sitting down to the meal at 6.30 to 7 tho, is this a lttle late if we want a band etc for the vening - i really dont know.

Is there a nice bar or pub in walkable distance of the restaurant that could host a drinks reception for you from 5pm?

Think we posted at the same time! Thanks Mag, i was worried about the evening as the band needs to set up where we're having our top table so they cant do that untill we're all finished! and i dont really know how long the meal will take, not going for the 3 course option, just something a bit more laid back like sausage and mash and the normal speaches.

How many guests are coming to the ceremony and meal and how many are coming for the evening do? If all of your guests are doing the whole day then there is no need to worry about timings. If you have evening guests arriving, that will make it a bit tight on time.

With regrads to the band, can they set up their equipment whilst the restaurant is laying up the tables so that they don't rock up in the middle of your wedding breakfast?

Hi Chickster - We're having 120 guests and they will all be there for the church service and the evening, so no extras arriving.

My main concerns are if we arrive at 6 then we wont sit down till 6.30 to 7? 2 hours for meal and speaches which takes us to 9, the band cant set up till we have moved as the head table is where they will need to be. Not sure that its going to work.....☹️

My sister done this at her wedding, she was only having an night time thing so had drinks and nibbles at the church which gave people something to do while the pictures where being taken then we all moved onto the reception.

I'm intending to get married at 4 and start my reception at 6.

I (well, not me personally!) will serve drinks and cupcakes in the church after the service and do some of the photos (inc confetti-throwing etc) there to fill the time.

If you're really worried, just arrive at the church a bit late!

I'm not sure if we can do this or not - I will check with our Vicar, thank you for the advice tho!

Did she have a sit down meal at the reception? This is another of my worrys, the timing of the meal and band etc.

Thanks every one!

Hi Jen, was this offered by the church or did you request it? Also how are you working your timings re arriving at the reception, meal and band/disco?

No she had a buffet type thing but not till about 9 and got family memebers to bring stuff to eat. If it is your local church then I cant see it being a problem, in regards to the to the meal if it is not a 3 course affair then I would give an hour - hour half. Can the venue make it so that the food is ready basically as soon as you arrive? And is there any stuff that the band can set up thst wont get in your way to save time on that? P.S the church service takes about 45 mins give or take.

Thanks Rachel - I will ask at the church and see what they say. The buffet idea instead of a sit down meal is another option i could think about too - but my other half would prefer a sit down meal (we're thinking sausage and mash and then an assotment of puddings put on the tables for guests to share)

Glad I can help. end og the day they can only say no, in which case go to the pub ?. We are having sausage and mash for our meal, figure you cant go wrong with the classics!

I haven't actually asked the church yet, I'm just assuming it will be fine. Most of the weddings I've been to in the last couple of years have had drinks and cakes in the church or church hall after the service. And some have had really group pretty photos taken in church.

Im assuming the service will finish about 4.45 and I think people will be happy to mingle with cake for up to 45 minutes, especially if photos are being done. Then outside for confetti-throwing and me and h2b going off in our car. We're about 10-15 minutes away from the reception, and with lots of people to get into their cars and out of the carpark and then parked up at the reception venue, it'll be about 6 by the time people are there. we'll have arrival drinks (outside if weather's nice) and more photos, then indoors for cake-cutting and speeches about half 6. First dance at 7 followed by buffet and band

Do you think this sort of format might work for you?

Thanks Jen - It sounds lovely and something that we could def think about - If we can do as you say and have drinks nibbles in church then the only other issue is the sit down meal - i think yours works better as you're having a buffet whereas the plan was for us to have a sit down (not big 3 course but simple main and pud) - The band it seems cant set up untill we're finished as they need the area that we will have the head table at! So sitting down at say 6.30 - if we finish at 8.30 then it will be 9 to 9.30 before the band starts..... Just thinking this may be a little late.

Maybe we should look at a more relaxed buffet style evening....

Thanks for your help ?