Wedding Etiquette Forum

Please help me think this out: timeline

I don't know if I can write this in a way that makes sense, so feel free to comment with a whole lot of "wtf". I'm trying to get an idea of how this whole wedding this is going to flow, and I need some input from those who've been there before.

We are getting married at a large event home on the oceanfront. The ceremony will be held on the beach, the cocktail hour will be on the patio and if the weather remains nice, the reception will be outside, too. If it gets chilly, things will move into the large living room in the house.

I'm trying to work out where to put a receiving line in the timing of this. My thought is:

After the ceremony, FI, the wedding party, and I walk back down the aisle and wait at the bottom of the stairs that go over the sand dune. The wedding party can stick around for a receiving line or go inside and touch up makeup/hair/pee/whatever. As guests leave the beach, they will go through the receiving line before going up the stairs, over the dune, and to the cocktail hour on the patio. Once we've received all the guests, the WP, immediate family and of course FI and I will go do the pictures.

Once that's over, we can come in for the reception and be "introduced" and do all that other stuff. So please tell me - does this sound like the best option? I worked 30 hours in two days and my brain is like mush. We're meeting with our officiant tomorrow so I'd like to pretend like I have a clue.
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Re: Please help me think this out: timeline

  • edited March 2013
    I think that sounds good. That's pretty much how it would be if you were doing a receiving line out of a building. i.e. Bride and Groom walk down the aisle, wait by the door alone/with parents/with entire part and "receive" guests as the guests exit. I think it sounds lovely. The stairs and dune are a nice aesthetic touch and offer a definitive place to do this.
    "Always be kinder than you think is necessary, for you never know what personal battles people are fighting."
  • I agree with Stage -- limit the receiving line to B&G (and maybe parents) only.  

    Also, you can skip the receiving line if logistics make it difficult.  Just make sure you greet all of your guests at the reception by going table-to-table during dinner.     But I think what you have described sounds lovely.
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  • Well, my parents are technically the hosts so I think if they don't have a preference, I'd like to have them up there with us. I just need to figure how to segue from the receiving line to the photos on the beach. I don't want my Nana to come through the receiving line, go up the stairs over the dune to the cocktail hour, then be asked to come back for photos...
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  • I hadn't thought of this, but is a receiving line absolutley necessary?  We were going to walk around during the cocktail hour and greet people but I'm starting to think that we should just do a receiving line?
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