Receiving line poll!

tuarceatha · June 2012

I just came across this after ceremony activity on TK planner. I hadn't thought of it before, but they make a couple great points for having one:

1) A receiving line is the best opportunity to greet each guest individually and thank him or her for coming to your wedding. And if you're having more than 50 guests, it's considered proper etiquette. The line also guarantees your guests a minute of face-to-face time with you, a chance to hug, kiss, and congratulate you both, and to say things like "The ceremony was lovely." If you rely instead on the more casual greet-them-as-you-see-them approach, you may spend the whole party in a tailspin, ducking out of conversations to say hello to people you haven't greeted yet, and inevitably you'll end up missing someone.

Read more: Receiving Line: Etiquette, Options & TipsTheKnot.com - http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-customs/articles/receiving-line-etiquette-options-tips.aspx#ixzz1yFH8oRs3

2) The receiving line is where your hosting duties as the bride and groom kick off. It'll no doubt be a whirlwind of faces, but as much as possible you should introduce your new spouse and your parents to all the guests they have not yet met. First names and the guests' relationships to you should suffice. Likewise all guests should take it upon themselves to offer this same information as introduction to attendants and family members whom they've never met as they proceed down the line; simply shake hands, offer congratulations, and keep moving. The bride and groom need only accept everyone's hugs, kisses, and best wishes, and thank them for coming. It's that simple. And yes, you'll end up with a lot of lipstick on your cheeks, but fear not -- you're allowed to make a bathroom pit stop before heading to the party.

Read more: Receiving Line: Etiquette, Options & TipsTheKnot.com - http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-customs/articles/receiving-line-etiquette-options-tips.aspx#ixzz1yFHdYHbQ

mbatzlaff · June 2012

Receiving lines are very common where I'm from, so we will probably do it.

tuarceatha · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_august-2012-weddings_receiving-line-poll?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:1fb748ee-7a4e-40eb-b4b4-e553486f4cacDiscussion:8df722e4-c272-41f5-8a26-308627001bdaPost:635d2cf0-4e94-4bfe-b48b-972a735469b5">Re: Receiving line poll!</a>:
[QUOTE]Receiving lines are very common where I'm from, so we will probably do it.
Posted by mbatzlaff[/QUOTE]

Yea. I recall them from many other weddings, but FI was like "I've never heard of it." Which gives me the impression he doesn't like the idea... Alas, we are co-hosting this event and need to say hello and thanks for coming to <em>everyone</em>.

i2012do · June 2012

I am doing it
to me you have two options: receiving line or going table to table
ultimately you will spend the entire night going table to table if you get stuck talking to your great aunt sue. or an entire tables ofr more than 5 minutes.

If you have ten tables and spend 5 mins per table then thats almost an hour of your reception!!

Instead, we are doing a receiving line, and then going only to the tables with elderly family members or older members
not our friends table- since we will see them on teh dance floor.

rungirl12 · June 2012

I would rather immediately present them with the chance to say hi to us in a "formal" process where they can't expect a 5-10 minute conversation like they might at the reception. That way, everyone will have a chance to chat and say hi, and we won't feel obligated to carve out time hunting down every guest at the reception, and likewise, they don't need to seek us out just to say hi or congrats. We want the reception to roll however it does...

odustudent22 · June 2012

my wedding coordinator said that receiving lines and be long and uncomfortable for the guest, who can have to wait up to half hour or more standing in line, and if out side....could be hot, so I am not having one, but FI and I will travel to each table to see our guests while they are eating.

msowena · June 2012

I have never seen a recieving line and frankly the whole thing is just too akward for my taste. We are going to get our food first (buffet style) and when we are done we're going around to all the tables (10 or 11 tables total) to thank everyone and chat a little.

I realize table to table might take longer, but a 5 minute conversation at a table will feel less awkward and be more sincere if you ask me.

Also we are having a casual wedding (bbq food, lawn games, etc.) and I just think a recieving line would be too formal for the atmosphere we're trying to accomplish anyways

bridejl · June 2012

We are doing a receiving line. It's common in our area, and with the amount of guests we are going to have, there would be no possible way to get to all the tables during the reception. We would like to eat! But we will also be present at our cocktail hour so we will have some extra talk time.

libby2483 · June 2012

I've never been to a wedding without one, so I guess they are the norm in my area. We will be doing one!

tuarceatha · June 2012

All good points!

I think it works best for us because of the situations where it would be more awkward to walk up to the tables with people my parents invited (my dad's coworkers, for example) that FI and I are less familar with. This is a good opportunity for those who want to come up and chat to have their chance, then they can focus on their food and the rest of the reception fesitivies. I'm sure we'll circulate to some tables, but I really don't like the idea of skipping our time to eat or dance! to catch everyone else while they are in their seats.

I guess I'll see what we end up doing!

S6ix · June 2012

We will do one at the church because the layout is perfect for it and we won't get to the cocktail hour until a bit later due to pictures...so we want to say hello to everyone before they start getting snookered! We will have cookies and lemonade and water out at the church after the ceremony to make it nicer for the people waiting in line to say hi to us.

DeClue82 · June 2012

The set up at our venue doesn't really allow for one... We will be upstairs (in a VERY hot loft) and I know everyone will want to get down ASAP... so we're just going to disappear for pix with family and we'll make the rounds during dinner. I'm also having a Dollar Dance... so we'll see people then (I know some people don't like them... from the previous post...)

dawnp917 · June 2012

We're not doing one. We are having a smaller reception at the moment it looks like about 75 guests. We will be doing table visits and make sure to see each guest. We are also having a whole weekend of activities. All guests are invited to meet us for drinks at our favorite brewery the night before. The day after we're having a BBQ. We have plenty of chances to chat with people.

As a guest I always hate waiting in the long line for a 5 second conversation wtih the bride and groom.

20pearls16 · June 2012

We are having a small wedding 80-90 people with a cocktail reception under a tent. We will greet everyone at the reception. I am afriad that folks will leave before the reception if they greet us right after the ceremony. I can't risk paying for all the food and people leaving beforehand.

unicorntrees · June 2012

I won't be having one. Our ceremony and reception are in the same place, and it would be a bit silly to stand in line only to walk across the room to say hi again. Plus, FI didn't really like the idea after we went to a wedding of a friend of mine. She had one and he said it was really awkward because he barely knew my friend, and their line had all the bridesmaids and the parents, and he definitely didn't know them. I think we'll just make rounds to all the tables. But to be fair, if you have a super large wedding in which making rounds to all the tables would take all night, I think a receiving line would make more sense then.

Eyejewel · June 2012

We are doing one. I didnt want to at first but we are worried about making it to all the tables and this way can make it round some of the other tables quicker. We hope the receiving line will be shorter and we are only having us and our parents in the line it to speed the process. We invited just over 200 people.

adaisyandarose · June 2012

We won't have a receiving line but I am trying to figure out what to do at a BBQ picnic reception when we are getting married there too. After he introduces us as hubby and wife what the heck do we do? Just say okay everyone let's eat!?

ohnoitskaroljo · June 2012

We've got like 240 guests invited, so yeah we'll be doing one so we can enjoy our 4-5 hour long reception and not have to seek out every single person. LOL We'll do it at the front exit of the Church so those who don't want to do it can go around and exit from one of the side exits rather than the front where we'll be.

tuarceatha · June 2012

haha the poll is maintaining 50/50.

random4180 · June 2012

I think we'll be doing one. The reception venue is two levels and I'd rather not worry about going up and down the stairs, trying to find a guest in my big poofy dress. We don't have all our RSVPs back but we did invite upwards of 150 people so that's a lot of meet and greet to leave to our reception.

[Deleted User] · June 2012

We won't be having one. Last wedding we went to had one and not only was it awkward, but we missed half of cocktail hour waiting to say "hi! you look beautiful".

spazticrexe · June 2012

We won't be having one, we're having such a small wedding (60 guests) that I don't think it makes any sense. I think I've only been to 1 wedding in this area that has had one, so its not like our guests will be expecting it anyway.

Gingery1 · June 2012

They are common in our area but the past few we have attended (weddings of friends) have not had them. Either way as a guest I think it is a disaster. A receiving line can be awkward if everyone is involved (parents, BM and GM) but it is fairly short and sweet. As for the other, I have spent way longer (2 hours longer) than I intended spending at one reception waiting for the bride and groom to make the rounds, and even then we had to seek them out because we wanted to leave so badly. We will likely have a receiving line of just FI and I.

Receiving line poll!

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