We're doing a smaller, less formal destination wedding of 80 ppl at the beach so we're inviting the entire guest list to a 'welcome dinner' the friday night before the wedding. FMIL has negotiated a reasonable price per head at a restaurant based on the premise that we'll have the dinner from 4:30/5pm until 7pm. The restaurant has made it clear that we are to be out of the space at 7pm in order to keep our costs at the low negotiated price. Is it odd to do a welcome dinner that early, and with that strict of a timeframe? Also, given the strict timeframe, is it necessary to indicate whether on a wedding website or on the welcome dinner invitation itself, that the event is from 5-7pm? Or should we just say welcome dinner at 5pm, and come 7pm that evening we wrap it up and head out? This whole thing is informal, but I don't want it to be bootleg and push people out of the doors while they're still eating.
