How much time to allow for meal preparation?

I am having a bbq/dinner party on the weekend. I am making a noodle salad, then going to cook marinated seafood on bbq when people arrive and add that to noodle salad. For dessert I am making meringues from scratch.

How much time should I allow...

before people arrive to prepare? I want to make most of the dessert, marinate seafood ready for bbq and make noodle salad. Any ideas?

The noodle salad can be prepared well ahead of time and placed in the fridge. You will have to cook the noodles, allow them to cool, then mix them in with the rest of the ingredients. All can be done the morning of the BBQ. As seafood will accept the marinade quickly, you can put the marinade on 1-2 hours ahead of time and put that in the fridge. Not good with meringues, but I would think they need to be prepared shortly before.

Don't forget it is a BBQ, leave time to enjoy your guests. Maybe select a dessert that can be prepared ahead of time as well, a sheet cake, fruit cups etc. Then you can enjoy your company while you cook the seafood. Have fun.