XP Receiving line

achiduck

I've also posted this on my month board, but this one is usually busier. My family is pretty insistant we do a receiving line so I'm trying to figure out who to have in it and what order they should stand in.

If you're had a receiving line who was in it and what order did they stand in?

The people I can pick from are:

Wedding party (or mabye it's better to have just MsOH and BM)
My Dad &SM
FMIL (but does her BF stand in the line then as well?)
FFIL (same deal about FSMIL)

Thoughts?

J&K10910

For our receiving line, we did just H and I.  Just you guys, or you guys and your parents make the most sense to me.  I don't see one bit of sense in having anyone from the wedding party in the receiving line.  What's the point?

With 100 guests, and just H and I, we got through the line in about 10 minutes, and didn't feel rushed or like we were just hugging and shoving. 

J&K10910

Oh, and as far as parents' SOs, if you decide to have parents in the line, I would ask them and their SOs if they want the SOs in the line.  I'm leaning towards only including them if they're been a big part in his life, but I think in this case it's most diplomatic to just ask if they want to be included or not.  If it were me, unless I had raised or was a really big part of the B or G's life, I'd probably pass on being in the line.

OliveOilsMom

To have your line go quick, it could just be you and your H.  Please don't put your WP in the line, they won't know anyone and it could be awkward for them.

We did not have a receiving line, my photographer asked us to NOT have one so that she could take us outside of the church and get some immediate shots with H & I.  She also told me to shift the blame on the lack of receiving line onto her, in case my parents or MIL were upset over this.  We were already going to 100% do table visits, so in my mind it felt redundant.

wrigleyville

We're having me, my H, and our parents. Nobody really knows anyone in the WP, so it would be pretty awkward, and it would just add time.

I would ask your FILs if they want to include their SOs. If they do, I don't see an issue with it, especially since FFIL is engaged.

J&K: I love the term "hug and shove".

achiduck

Thanks J&K that's awesome advice. FSMIL Is kind of anti-social and FI and I aren't huge fans of her. FMIL's BF is more social but can be kind of inappropriate sometimes and I don't think FMIL would even want him in the line.

J&K10910

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_xp-receiving-line?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:6107d767-9e2c-41d8-8bea-47c73b4798f3Post:3e63c8ec-2fd4-4d19-bafa-d126e353fb71">Re: XP Receiving line</a>:
[QUOTE]We did one with just me and DH.  It was great because it gave everyone else a moment to freshen up before photos and it went super quick.  I wouldn't recommend it any other way.
Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]

Oh, and another bonus?  While we were doing the receiving line, my MOH was paying the DJ, making sure people grabbed their escort cards (they're not common in our area, so we had some confused guests), the groomsmen were helping people find seats, my BM was grabbing my more comfortable shoes from my car, our parents were entertaining guests and directing people towards the apps and bathrooms (all on their own, I didn't dictate duties, haha).  Stuff went so much more smoothly than I think it would have had they all been standing in that line with us.

J&K10910

Ha, Wrig, that's what I feel that big lines turn into.  So many people, long line, bride's feet hurt and the groom is hungry.  "hey, thanks for coming, here's a hug, now MOVE!"

achiduck

We'd be doing the line right outside the church (weather permitting, otherwise in the church common room which is just down the hall from the actual worship space) so I'm not sure we'd reap the kind of benefits you got but it's awesome that it worked out like that for you.

J&K10910

Oh, yeah, we had the ceremony and reception in the same place.  I guess that makes a big difference.  I didn't even think about that.

achiduck

That's a good point Stage. Thanks!

Meegles4

Yeah, I definitely agree to just keep it to you and your H, at most also including parents. Even if you're not having your reception in the same place, the WP can still be herding guests out of the church as Stage mentioned, or collecting their belongings, etc. so they're ready to move from church to reception when you are.

rlavach

We did just DH & I also, that way it went quicker. Plus, DH’s parents don’t speak English, so having them there would be really awkward with communicating. Then we couldn’t have only my parents without his. So, we did just us.

DramaGeek

We did H, me, and both sets of parents.  When you start bringing divorces and remarriages into the picture it adds a lot of people, so I think I'd just go with you and your fi.

pretzelgrrl

We did bride and groom, and both sets of parents.  I wish we had stood in the middle so parents could have introduced us to people we didn't know like I had intended...but day of I forgot so we just stood in the order we left the church