Order of the day - timings

That seems really spaced out. Two hours is a huge amount of time for a civil ceremony - church weddings are usually a lot longer, but even so, usually done in an hour! Unless you are having loads of readings and music, starting at 12.30, I would expect you to do be done by 1 at the latest, so that's three hours of hanging around having a drink. Can you push the ceremony time back a bit?

Ceremony at 12.30 would mean that you are out and mingling at 1.00 then allow 1.5 hours which is the normal time to then be walking in the room at 2.30. But remember that you will not be eating straight away as people get settled ect, so say 2.45 food comes out. Then 2.5 hours for the food (depending on the type of service/ courses / number of guest/ speeches ) which brings you to 5.15. Then mingle chat coffee relax for about 1.5 hours and the eve guests arrive around 7pm.

1.5 hours after the ceremony will fly by even without and official photographer,

The timings show the food being from 4.

"Ceremony 12 - 2pm (we booked 12.30)

Drinks 2-4pm

Wedding breakfast 4-6

Evening 7-midnight"

So assuming the ceremony is half an hour, that's 3 hours between it finishing and going in to eat.

Yes _ was describing how a 12.30 ceremony wedding day timing would normally pan out.

There seems to be 1 hour missing, from the ceremony 12.30 ( ends at 1.00 ) to drinks at 2pm, drinks would normally be served straight after the ceremony at 1.00.

"Ceremony 12 - 2pm (we booked 12.30)

Drinks 2-4pm

Wedding breakfast 4-6