Receiving Line?

santana9505 · January 2012

Did any of you do a receiving line immediately after your ceremony? Would you have done it differently? Or is it easier to thank everyone at your reception to take up less formal photo time?

Queen Jane · January 2012

We did not do a receiving line, we got to everyone during the reception. We did our formal photos with H and I the day after.

VeggieLove1022 · January 2012

We didn't do a receiving line and after going to a wedding with one- I'm so glad we didn't. I'm not sure if this is the norm, but the one's who had the line also included the entire wedding party along with all immediate family of the bride and groom. It was incredibly awkward to hug/ handshake 20-30 people, 25 of them I'd never met. It was too fast to actually say anything to the bride and groom, but slow enough to be awkward as heck.

KatoNorway · January 2012

I didn't have one, but I didn't have the chance to thank everyone of our guests, so I kinda wish we did have one. Our ceremony ended at 6:45pm and dinner was served immediately after.

If you suspect you won't be able to go to each table and thank each guest, I highly suggest having one just for that reason.

That Gal · January 2012

We didn't plan on it at ALL. But as soon as the ceremony ended, it seems like everyone flooded in our direction so we ended up doing it, and it took soooo long (200 guests).. but on the upside, we didn't have to go around table to table at the reception which probably would've eaten up my fun dancing time. Instead, it just cut into our cocktail hour/photo time. I'm glad it happened in a way.

mandctaft · January 2012

We are planning on exiting and hanging out outside the door so people can greet us as they leave for the reception and then we are going back in for pictures. We will have so many people there that we don't want to spend the reception greeting people or thats all we will be doing.

Beverly8 · January 2012

We are not doing one. We will go around after we have finished eating to all of the tables. One of the main reasons we are not doing one is because of the time it may take. It is january and weather permitting we are doing outside photos and do not want to be fighting with the sun light.

I have been to a few weddings both with and without a receiving line and IMO I prefer weddings without one.

Good Luck

HannahK15 · January 2012

We are planning on doing one but it will just be my fiance and I, and our parents.

LittleMissCutiePie · January 2012

We're doing one, just in case we don't get to everyone during the reception.

vexie · January 2012

We weren't planning on but last minute decided to do one as we exited the ceremony. Our ceremony and reception were in the same location with the cocktail hour outside on the patio while they re-arranged the room for the dinner. It worked out really great! It was just hubby and I along with our best man and moh. We only had 70'ish guests so it went really quick. People exited the venue, spoke with us and went straight into the cocktail party. The servers even started distributing drinks to those in line so everyone was happy. We made it around to all the tables during dinner but it was nice to talk to everyone individually in the recieving line as well

Ciardasully · January 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-recap-withdrawal_receiving-line?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:12Discussion:983b19c0-0330-4faa-883c-b2619b48a9c5Post:45bd37d6-a581-40df-8cd4-5897be60e762">Re: Receiving Line?</a>:
[QUOTE]We are planning on doing one but it will just be my fiance and I, and our parents.
Posted by HannahK15[/QUOTE]

Same here. We have 6 bridesmaids and 6 groomsmen and that is just too long of a line.

mattycam · January 2012

We did one and yes I am one of those brides that included her bridal party. I am glad that we had the receiving line immediately after because we didn't have time to greet each table at the reception.

bridezillatobe2009 · January 2012

I don't want one and would like hear suggestions of how we can avoid one? I was thinking just exiting the church sanctuary "hiding" somewhere in the church and then once guests are gone doing family pictures.

LittleMissCutiePie · January 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-recap-withdrawal_receiving-line?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:12Discussion:983b19c0-0330-4faa-883c-b2619b48a9c5Post:860904ae-65c8-4319-98bc-1b416f89c300">Re: Receiving Line?</a>:
[QUOTE]I don't want one and would like hear suggestions of how we can avoid one? I was thinking just exiting the church sanctuary "<strong>hiding</strong>" somewhere in the church and then once guests are gone doing family pictures.
Posted by bridezillatobe2009[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that's your best bet. Make sure you hide somewhere with lockable doors. My cousin tried this, and someone found them, and an entire mob followed. If they want to find you, they will, but if you have the door locked, they can take the hint. Seriously, some people truly think that the bride and groom have nothing else to do but see and cater to them specifically. Not saying you shouldn't give your guests the respect and attention they deserve, but many people don't realize that there are other guests at the wedding too.

Starfish0116 · January 2012

I wasn't going to do one, but now I'm considering it. Our guest list is large, like 300 so far, and it'll take at least 38-40 tables at the reception. That's A LOT of tables to have to make the rounds to. I find that recieving lines usually go a little faster because there is a line of people behind them, where as it's really easy to get hung up at a table.

Summer2011Bride · January 2012

We greeted people at tables at our reception and it worked wonderfully. We had about 160 guests and were able to greet and talk to each one of them.

I personally hate receiving lines. If you have a fair amount of guests, it can take forever. I once waited in a recieving line for about an hour before getting to the B&G. But whatever you do, if you go ahead with one, please don't ask your WP to stand in it with you! I have had to do this before and it was awkward and boring, as usually your WP doesn't know that many of your guests and any conversation feels stiff and forced.

Chelpants · January 2012

We did NOT want to do one but we ended up doing it because everyone lined up and came to where we were!!!

littleluckypenny · January 2012

FI and I are just going to get around to the tables at the reception. Since we aren't doing a first look (but getting as much pics done before ceremony) we still have some pics to take between the ceremony and reception. We'll be doing pics during the hour and a half window (drive between venues and cocktail hour), so we don't keep our guests waiting.

TaraW1979 · January 2012

We did not do one because we wanted to take the most amount of pictures as possible. We hid in a back room of the church.

pretzelgrrl · January 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-recap-withdrawal_receiving-line?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:12Discussion:983b19c0-0330-4faa-883c-b2619b48a9c5Post:45bd37d6-a581-40df-8cd4-5897be60e762">Re: Receiving Line?</a>:
[QUOTE]We are planning on doing one but it will just be my fiance and I, and our parents.
Posted by HannahK15[/QUOTE]
This is what we did...I am very glad we did it so that we had time with each guest.

jc04100657 · February 2012

We did not do one. We went to each table during the reception.

ourwedding111111 · March 2012

We did do a receiving line, it was just the 2 of us and it was a great opportunity to say hello to every single person. We also visited everyone at the reception, but we knew that even with our best intentions we may not have the ability to go to each individual during the reception...some people can only stay for the ceremony and some may need to leave before you get over to their table. Good luck with whatever you choose!

georgemc88 · April 2012

Before the ceremony, we're taking formal pictures.

We're doing an inside wedding & reception in the same room - but the caterer needs time to switch the room over. So...we're doing a receiving line in the lobby of our venue for our 250 guests. It will be my parents, us, and his parents in the receiving line. The bridal party will hand out bubbles to guests as they come out of the ballroom and head towards us.

Then we'll head to Notre Dame to finish our pictures while the guests head to cocktail hour.

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