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Receiving Line

katetwkatetw member
100 Comments
in New Jersey
Are you guys doing one or not doing one? What's the style in this part of the country (pretty new to the East Coast)?

We have eight parents and a huge wedding party, so I feel like a receiving line could take forever, but we're also having 220 guests (which seems like a lot to me), so I feel like it could be a good way of making sure we say hello to everyone. Thoughts?
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Re: Receiving Line

  • mmontronimmontroni
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    My parents say we have to do it for tradition etc, but I don't really want to- I'm going to make a point to see everyone at the reception, so I don't think it's necessary.
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  • KristinathebrideKristinathebride member
    Ninth Anniversary 500 Comments
    edited December 2011

    We are doing a receiving line but have a much smaller guest list than you, 115 guests.  Agree with mmontroni, it's more of a tradition but I do think it's a nice gesture.

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  • uppereastgirluppereastgirl member
    2500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    We didn't do one, but if I'm reading correctly you're thinking of putting your wedding party in the line?  (That's why the size of the wedding party is relevant, right?)  Don't do that -- super awkward for them and for your guests who have to say hi to them.  You could also cut your parents out of it if you want it to go more quickly.  I always find receiving lines that include parents awkward when I don't know the parents, because I don't know if I'm supposed to kiss/hug/shake their hand, and I don't know what I'm going to say to them.
    image
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  • altimat873altimat873 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    This is an ongoing discussion in my household. The parents want to do it and the venue suggests it, but I feel awkward about making the BP part of this because they dont know everyone and it can awkward as PP said before - do you shake hands, do you hug - awwwkwaaard. I think we are going to do it but limit to us and the parents.
    My sister made a good point as well, if she doesnt know them she skips the line and goes straight to the bride & groom. . . Im sure thats bad etiquette but she says she never feels comfortable going through the line.
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  • kristen8040kristen8040 member
    Knottie Warrior 1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    We're doing it since we're at a church.  
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  • sgdc2011sgdc2011 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Personally.. as a guest. I HATE recieving lines.  I would rather find the bride and groom during the day to say hi then wait in line and say hi to everyone that I don't know and feel uncomfortable.
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  • mbcdefgmbcdefg member
    10000 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    We did it with just us and the parents. We had maybe 125 people at the church and got through it in maybe 20 minutes.

    I was glad we did it, because some people only came to the church (older people who couldn't attend the reception, and some people who weren't invited but wanted to wish us well anyway). And we missed some people at the reception because they left early, or because they were away from their tables when we did the rounds.
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  • KH 2012KH 2012
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    we arent seeing each other before the cermony so our photographer suggests not doing a receiving line so that we have time for our pics with the parents/bridal party!  
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  • cindyn9178cindyn9178 member
    1000 Comments 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    I agree with PPs... the bridal party should not be part of the receiving line. Just parents and you..we are doing one at the church.
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  • Reilly626Reilly626 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Its so OUTDATED! No we did not do it and were glad we didnt plus it gave us extra time for pics so we could hit our cocktail hour! Being a bridesmaid sucks when you are a part of one and have to kiss and make small talk with strangers! So uncomfortable!
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  • 37 Butter Knives37 Butter Knives member
    Fourth Anniversary 500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I didn't want one, but I'm having one because his family insists. It will just be us and the parents.

    It may be "OUTDATED!," but it's practical.
    http://blog.weddingpaperdivas.com/the-divas-dish-on-receiving-lines/

    Only concern I have is that not everyone is going to be at the ceremony, so we'd have to track them down at the reception. Apparently, the etiquette gurus say if you're having the ceremony and reception at separate locations, you do it at the reception site (although this is more because at a church, God is the host, not your families).
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  • annandted86annandted86
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_receiving-line-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:6f01a896-713e-48ee-a202-03b9c0ba5e8dPost:da1b67ba-643a-407f-b628-ffa12e03494c">Re: Receiving Line</a>:
    [QUOTE] I'm going to make a point to see everyone at the reception, so I don't think it's necessary.
    Posted by mmontroni[/QUOTE]

    ^^^ this ^^^

    You have to one or the other, but I don't think tradition requires the receiving line.  It's nice and we're going to do one, but we have only 100 guests and we've left plenty of time for pictures so it won't squeeze our day.  Otherwise, I see no issue in not doing it and just catching up with everyone at the reception.
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  • smw42smw42 member
    2500 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    We did one and I'm happy we did. I was in a wedding that didn't and it was very very awkward. Guests didn't know where to go after the ceremony and the bride & groom and bridal party went down and hid out until guests left. I know the bride regretted not doing it and it was just so odd to not have that fun moment of coming out of the church with everyone waiting there for you. Just do it!
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  • Tara2316Tara2316
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    We did it at Church and then went to each table at the reception. In our recieving line, it was just us and our parents and we had 175 guests.

    image
    Tara & Jose 10.17.10
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  • speidelmspeidelm
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    We didn't do a receiving line because we wanted to get right out of the church and start taking pictures. If there is ONE thing I could change about my wedding it would be this.... I'd say do one!!

    A) Your photographer is going to want to take pictures outside the church. Guests will hang around and you'll get pulled in 20 different directions trying to say hi to people because you can't just stand there ant NOT say hi! We probably wasted more time than we would have if we did a receiving line. And I felt like it was so chaotic and unorganized. Half the time my husband and I were in different places.

    B) There were a ton of people that came to the church that we didnt invite to the reception and I didn't even get to see them. I felt rude and would have loved to have said hi. I don't even know who came and who didn't because, like I said... it was so chaotic after

    C) We didn't even get to see everyone at the reception and a receiving line would have made it a lot easier to get to at least say hi to everyone.

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