Receiving line?

kayla2536

What is the purpose of a receiving line? My fiance and I are having a relatively small wedding (125 absolute max) and we know everyone well. It's just good friends and family that we know well and can socialize with during cocktail hour and/or the reception. Our ceremony and reception are in the same place as well. 

melb2013

The purpose is to make sure you get the opportunity to thank every single person for coming and celebrating with you.  It's hard to not miss someone without a receiving line, but some people try to visit all tables during dinner, when most people are eating.

Sassenach1743

It's a chance for you to have a quick and personal greeting with each guest at the close of the ceremony, before your reception. Doesn't necessarily mean you're meeting people for the first time... It's an immediate congratulations to you and your spouse from each loved one who witnessed. You'll have more time later in the evening to continue socializing with your guests, but this is a great way to ensure that you see and greet everyone right after the ceremony -in case time doesn't permit later or someone has to leave before your reception.

You don't have to do it. I've seen it at most weddings, but it is considered traditional.

melb2013

brita: love your invites!  gorgeous!

Sassenach1743

melb: Thank you!! and I love your venue, so beautiful

lauraanne9

The receiving line, in my opinion and from what I have seen, sort of happens.  The Bride and Groom exit, the attendants leave...and well, there is ALWAYS someone who leaves the ceremony before this is over.  There just is.  So, at my wedding we were planning to have a receiving line, and by time all of the bridal party was out of the church, the guests had started leaving to go to the reception, so even if we hadn't intended one, it would have been silly to not have one, as we would have all had to run and hide form the guests.

Did that make sense?  What I am sort of saying is that at my wedding, and the ones i have been to and in, if there is no receiving line, the bridal party needs a place to go that is away from the guests.  If this is not possible or seems silly, well, then just have the receiving line.

Jen4948

Receiving lines allow the couple and their parents to greet their guests as they arrive at the reception venue.  As greeting guests is one of the paramount duties of the couple, I think they are a necessity.  As an alternative, you and your fiance, and perhaps your parents separately, can go table to table to do this.

Kristin789

As a guest, it's SO much easier to give the bride and groom a quick hug in a receiving line when leaving the ceremony place than to have to stop at dinner and try and make small talk with the bride and groom who are STANDING over us while we are seated, and while our dinner - that the bride's family paid a lot for -- gets really cold.

amyelise25

I've always found it awkward to greet parents and bridal party members unless I knew them well.  So it was just DH and I in the recieving line (which moved quickly).  My parents were nearby and family members were able to easily head over to them to chat after greeting us.  I would have given them the choice to stand in the line with us if they were hosting (i.e., paying). 

zantster

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_receiving-line-13?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:e230099f-a731-45a6-95c6-8263e35f4725Post:b53c5cfb-2e1c-4a74-8e9b-a9c46bf5d988">Re: Receiving line?</a>:
[QUOTE]It's a chance for you to have a quick and personal greeting with each guest at the close of the ceremony, before your reception. Doesn't necessarily mean you're meeting people for the first time... It's an immediate congratulations to you and your spouse from each loved one who witnessed. You'll have more time later in the evening to continue socializing with your guests, but this is a great way to ensure that you see and greet everyone right after the ceremony -in case time doesn't permit later or someone has to leave before your reception. You don't have to do it. I've seen it at most weddings, but it is considered traditional.
Posted by brita722[/QUOTE]

We're going to do the receiving line after the ceremony for this reason and also to draw out some time between the ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner so the timing of things flow smoothly.  I am determined to get timing, food and music right and feel like everything else will fall into place.