We are not having a sit down meal hun, but this is due to the timings we have have got for our venue, they only do 2 times 10am or 4pm... so we have gone for the 4pm... so we are going straight in to an even reception... afteroon tea sound good to me hun... dont know how long it would take though, what time is your wedding?

We're hoping to have it buffet style too, but got to speak to the venue about it.

The ceremony is either going to be 2pm or 4pm and I really cant decide what would be best. I'd prefer 4pm but dont want it to feel rushed between the ceremony and the reception but on the other hand with us not having a sit down meal I cant help but feel like if we had a 2pm ceremony there'd be lots of pointless hanging about. Hmmm decisions decisions!

see I'd like to have the ceremony at 3pm but our registrars only allow you to get married at either 12, 2 or 4 :(

I think I'm going to have to add it to my ever growing list of things to talk to the hotel's wedding coordinator about!

Love the afternoon tea idea, i'd say somewhere between 1 and 2 hours. xx

I'm having afternoon tea and have had afternoon tea a few times in restaurants.

My itinerary is as follows;

3pm wedding (for an hour)
4pm some photographs around church (30 mins)
4.30pm drive to reception venue (half hour drive)
5pm arrive at venue
5.30pm sit down to afternoon tea wedding breakfast (make sure you tell your guests in advance that your only having afternoon tea, so they can have lunch before ceremony, and when i have had afternoon tea in restaurants it usually servers two and includes, finger sandwiches (enough for two slices of bread each) a scone each with, clotted cream and jam, and two cakes each, maybe a slice of sponge cake and usually something with a strawberry filling (strawberry oyster). When myself and H2B have afternoon tea it can fill us up for around 4 hours).
6.15pm (ish) Speeches
6.45pm (ish) more photographs around reception venue, also chatting and relaxing after wedding breakfast.
7.30pm evening guests arrive
8.30pm cutting of the cake
8.45pm first dance
9pm opens the evening buffet (hot and cold massive buffet to feed everyone properly, as day guests have only had afternoon tea etc)
9.30pm evening disco begins

Cakey, h2b and I had a massive row last night about what time to have the ceremony! I suggested we had it later in the afternoon, like around 4, as then people wouldn't be sitting around for an AGE between the ceremony and meal, which is what always happens as the wedding party are away getting photos taken. Admittedly, I might have had an ulterior motive because I hate photos and was hoping to reduce the photo time, but anyway, then he went off in a rant about how that's cutting it far too fine and there'll be a mad panic to get the photos taken and what if family members want to get photos taken with us too and oh lord it'll be such a rush to get them done before dinner and I'll turn into a grumpy cow and.....!! SERIOUSLY! It was just a suggestion...!

Oooh Thanks Ocean, thats given me a better idea of what I'm doing!

we had an afternoon tea for our engagement and it took about and hour and a half for everyone to be fed comfortably

Cakey what did you decide on for this? Im having afternoon tea and havnt even thought about timings yet xx

Am really liking the afternoon tea idea and have just found the perfect venue for this too xx

Ocean I think your timings are perfect hun, I'm like that too - like to know everything down to the finest detail, I'm a bit of a control freak lol x

Afternoon tea sounds lovely. Not sure what i'm doing yet, gotta speak to the venue. xx