Please let me know if this is the wrong board for this... but my main concern is that I don't want my timeline to force people to stand and sit around, bored out of their minds. That's etiquette, right?
Our DOC sent over a draft timeline, but she didn't have the buffet open until 7:15 (after speeches), and she didn't have open dancing start until 9:30. My goal is to get to food and dancing as fast as possible, because, that's why we go to weddings, right? So I tried to compress everything, but I just don't know. Heellllpppp me pleeaassseee.
5:05-5:30 - ceremony (including procession)
5:30-6:30 - cocktail hour/Mariachis (this can't be shortened because our ceremony space is our reception space and the caterer says she needs at least an hour to set up - blech)
6:30 - DJ invites the guests into the reception space. I'm assuming it takes 15 minutes for people to find their escort card/table/chair... but maybe this is too optimistic.
6:45 - B&G enter and go straight to first dance
6:50 - First table released for buffet. Assuming everyone has gone through the buffet line by 7:10
7:15-7:45 - speeches/toasts while people are eating
[Aaackkk - how do we fit in table visits, without moving the speeches, which means people are sitting around doing nothing at their table foreverrrrr]
8:00 - father/daughter dance
8:05 - mother/son dance
8:10 - Open dancing starts
8:50 - cake cutting immediately followed by Churro Man frying Churros
More dancing
11:30 - last call
11:45 - last dance
Midnight - roll to bar across street for continued debauchery
EDITED: to shorten dance times!