Who's doing a receiving line?

missy41222

I feel like the trend is becoming less common, but I'm curious whether people are planning on having any kind of receiving line, and, if so, when/where.

I've most commonly seen people have a receiving line after the ceremony at a church. Then the bride and groom just visit tables at the reception. We will have over 200 guests at our reception so I'm worried about the amount of time it would take to go table to table, and I realize that some people might be out of their seats when we make it to them. I also realize that some guests may only choose to attend the reception.

For these reasons, I'm considering just doing a receiving line at the start of the reception. Has anyone seen/done this?

rlavach

I feel that doing a receiving line at the entrance of the reception would drag things along too much. We chose to do a RL at the end of our ceremony at the church. The officiant made an announcement that the B&G will be receiving guests for 10 minutes in the back and all those attending the reception can go straight there. We knew there would be several members of our congregations that would attend the wedding even though they're not close enough to us to be invited to the reception. 

We stood right outside of the door at a 90 angle from the building. So, the guests had a straight walk right out the door. They greeted us both and then were ushered down the steps. It went smoothly and we had an usher stop us at 10min. We had 10 tables at the reception and had more than enough time to greet them all. 

saacjw

We haven't figured out the receiving line yet because the church is super awkward for that kind of line (very little entrace that's not on fairly steep stairs, outside in December might not work well). If we don't we'll come back up the aisle and "dismiss" each row, so we have a chance to greet them then and then make rounds at the reception. 

wowand135

We are not doing a RL and I don't think you MUST do it. Since we plan on visiting all the tables, I don't see the point in having to greet everybody twice and take up that much time.

toothpastechica

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_customs-traditions_whos-doing-a-receiving-line?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:36Discussion:673ad83f-66c7-48cb-ac61-a5a203daaf68Post:afdb823b-e63b-4891-954a-cf02b2dbc5a7">Re: Who's doing a receiving line?</a>:
[QUOTE]We are not doing a RL and I don't think you MUST do it. Since we plan on visiting all the tables, I don't see the point in having to greet everybody twice and take up that much time.
Posted by wowand135[/QUOTE]

This. Your guests MUST be greeted but it doesnt HAVE to be a recieving line. If you have another way to ensure you will greet your guests, I would opt for that, as a guest at 8 weddings in the past 14 months, recieving lines are boring to wait in, and then when you do get to the bride and groom they only have .4 seconds to say HI IM GLAD YOU MADE IT, and its on to the next person, and anything I can say to them in that moment will be forgotten by them promptly (how is my congrats you look pretty going to be any more of a memory then the other 40 people who said that same thing?), I much prefer having a couple more minutes at the reception to congratulate.

bananas1309

We are doing a receiving line as everyone enters cocktail hour. It was my dad's request, and since he's paying for the reception, we're basically doing it to please him. I thought it might be easier (and less borng for the guests) to go around to tables, but I don't mind. Plus, we have a really awesome bridge/walkway that leads into the ballroom, so it will kind of be a "grand" entrance for everyone. I just hope we can get through all 200 people in a timely manner... Haha.

AurorasEnvy

I agree that doing table visits with that many people would be very time consuming.

For that reason, we are doing a receiving line, but consisting of only FI and myself.  We are going to stand far enough from the chapel doors so that people see and and can stay to say hello if they'd like, but if people want to leave they won't be "trapped' in the chapel so to speak.  We'll catch the rest at the reception & cocktail hour.

good2Bqueen13

Wow.  I must say I'm a bit taken aback by the way etiquette has slipped in the 15 or so years since I was in the wedding industry. 

1)  A PP mentioned that she invited some people to her wedding but not her reception.  That is the epitome of wedding etiquette no-no's.  Vice versa, however, is fine (inviting some one to the reception, but not the wedding).  Essentially, it's like saying, "We like you well enough to ask you for a gift, but not well enough to spend the money for you to attend our reception."

2)  Not long ago, a wedding without a recieving line would be inconceivable.  I'm glad the trend has gone to B&G and parents or B&G only, as the entire wedding party was once included and it made for a long (and sometimes awkward) experience.  It was expected to have a RL after the ceremony AND make rounds at the reception.  This is because some wedding guests (particularly the elderly) are unable to stay for the reception, and would need to be greeted before they left.  And, as I mentioned in #1, it isn't uncommon to invite guests to the reception who were not at the wedding, and they would need to be greeted there.  To the OP, even with 200 guests, you should have no problem finding time to spend a few minutes at each of the tables as you'll probably only have 20 - 25 tables.  I appreciate your concern that you might miss some one that way, if they are away from their table, but it's a solid attempt and probably the best you can do.  You will be served your meal first, so I suggest you eat and then quickly begin your rounds, following the same path as the servers, to have the best opportunity to catch every one before they begin to move.

3) Another PP suggested that a pew release is insulting or inconsiderate.  Quite the opposite, proper etiquette would dictate that NOT having a pew release would be inconsiderate and bad form.  Otherwise, you would have chaos, every one trying to get out at the same time. The thought of it reminds me of every one trying to exit an airplane.  That's not what I would like to see at any wedding, let alone my own.  In fact, how would any one know when they were to leave?  Would some try to leave before honored guests were dismissed?  No, please DO have a pew release, whether you do it yourselves (which I've never seen, but I imagine would be beautiful), or have your ushers do it which is the traditional way.  I suppose, however, if you have a very small wedding, having an usher stand at the front of the altar and dismiss every one once the honored guests have been ushered out would be fine.  As for those who really need to go pee (and those with small children), well, there's always the outside of the pew that they can leave from if necessary, just as they would if they needed to make an emergency exit during the ceremony.

augurey

We are intending to a receiving line after the ceremony. Though I think some good points are brought up about having it for B&G only or B/G & parents only (to speed up the process a little).

We still intend to make rounds during the reception, but it's difficult to catch every single person during the reception (with dancing and socializing going on - just being a guest at a couple of receptions, FI was unable to introduce me or say hello to all friends/family he wanted to because everyone is just so scattered with dancing and socializing that it was difficult to do that).

So definitely a receiving line to at least thank/greet our guests & then hopefully we can have a little extra time during the reception for something a little more personal/longer.

good2Bqueen13

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_customs-traditions_whos-doing-a-receiving-line?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:36Discussion:673ad83f-66c7-48cb-ac61-a5a203daaf68Post:91d87cf9-55d0-447a-b61c-c1761e1c685a">Re: Who's doing a receiving line?</a>:
[QUOTE]We are intending to a receiving line after the ceremony. Though I think some good points are brought up about having it for B&G only or B/G & parents only (to speed up the process a little). We still intend to make rounds during the reception, but it's difficult to catch every single person during the reception (with dancing and socializing going on - just being a guest at a couple of receptions, FI was unable to introduce me or say hello to all friends/family he wanted to because everyone is just so scattered with dancing and socializing that it was difficult to do that). So definitely a receiving line to at least thank/greet our guests & then hopefully we can have a little extra time during the reception for something a little more personal/longer.
Posted by augurey[/QUOTE]

<div>Sounds like a great plan.  It is so difficult to catch every one at the reception.  By doing something small at both locations, you have the best chances of at least a brief moment with each guest.  Wish more B&G's were willing to make the effort you are.</div>