We're doing our minimony in just a week! Our venue is going to let us use the property, so we get to have access to the outdoor ceremony site and a covered patio area if it rains, and they will even set up some chairs for our guests who need them and a table for us so we have a place to sign our marriage license and then do cake or a champagne toast. We are still planning on doing a full wedding ceremony and reception there next year.
We want to do a first look, our vows/ceremony, a first dance, and either a champagne toast or cake cutting (or both), all at the same site. The event is just 10 people plus our dog, so we are not thinking of doing a procession at all and the ceremony will just be vows (no readings) so should be pretty short. No speeches, no meal, no drinks (other than possibly champagne/sparkling water and a slice of cake). Also, no bathrooms.
I'm struggling a little to think of a good flow of events. Because of social distancing, group size limitations, and the limited time we have, I'm not really sure how to entertain guests. We need everything to be efficient but also want our families and close friends to have a good experience. Our ceremony will be around 6pm (the minimony was a bit last minute so our officiant has other plans earlier that day), so we will only have a couple hours to do all of our photos and whatever events we want to include. The 10 people invited represent 7 different households (not including our photographer), and most guests will be there without their partners because of the circumstances. I'm not sure how comfortable anyone will feel eating or drinking together. We don't want to force mingling, but we want guests to enjoy the experience and be glad they came.
I need help figuring out the flow, want to make sure guests know what is expected, and want make sure our event feels complete, with a start and an end and not just like fragments of wedding traditions people are used to. Obviously, it's also really important to us that everyone feels safe and has an enjoyable experience.
I'm also struggling a bit with decor and want a way to have a few pieces have a big impact, so it feels wedding like but doesn't take all day to set up or break down. We'll have an arbor to work with, and a table and some chairs, and then just outdoor space.
Help!