Yay or Nay? Receiving Lines
Thursday April 17, 2008
Receiving lines, where the wedding party stands in a line ready to greet each guest and welcome them to the wedding, are an efficient way to make sure you've talked to each guest. But guests often complain about them. They don't want to stand in line for a long time, only to say a short hello to their hosts. Since the receiving party often includes the parents, all the bridesmaids and sometimes even the groomsmen, you're likely to end up stuck in small talk with someone you barely even know.
And yet, the bride and groom who forgo the receiving line may spend the majority of their wedding visiting every table to make sure they've greeted everyone.
What do you all think? Will you have a receiving line?
And yet, the bride and groom who forgo the receiving line may spend the majority of their wedding visiting every table to make sure they've greeted everyone.
What do you all think? Will you have a receiving line?
Comments
My fiance and I were not considering having a receiving line at our reception (probably do a “grand entrance” and mingle later) but were thinking about greeting guests as they exit the chapel after our ceremony. I don’t want it to take too long, but I want to make sure we personally say hi to everyone.
My newlywed friends stood just before the food tables and greeted all the guests as they were on their way to get food during the reception buffet - I thought it was a great idea, since everyone waits in line for food, anyway!
Well, if a couple is getting married in a church, sometimes there are people that go to the church, and not the reception. I think the receiving line is a good idea.
We are getting married on the beach on Sanibel Island, FL. What do we do there? We might just go table to table since people came all the way from New York to help celebrate our wedding.
I recently attended my cousins wedding and rather than stand in the traditional recieving line, they greeted and released every pew in the church after the wedding. It gives the bride and groom a chance to talk to everyone, and doesn’t end up taking an hour.
I’m planning on one. I’ve heard to many stories of the bride and groom not able to make it to all the tables. In my situation, I want to greet all my guests. And to me its a great way to have some impromptu pictures.
I think it’s better for the bride and groom to visit the tables individually. Then there is no pressure of feeling rushed because someone else is waiting in line.
Also, it puts the hosting duty on the couple as is appropriate instead of expecting wedding party members to talk to every guest, most of whom they probably don’t know.
Many of my friends have cut the recieving line down to just them, or to them and only their parents. I don’t mind waiting in line for a bit if it ensures that I’ll get the chance to see and talk with the bride and groom. I’ve been to multiple weddings were i didn’t even get to say hi to the bride and groom, or i literally only said “hi” as they were leaving for the night.
I plan on letting my guest know that there will be a set time for the recieving line - so that if they want to make sure there is face time they can arrive during that time, otherwise my fiance and i plan on mingling after the line and mostly dancing the night away.