receiving line, or greeting at tables?

SunshineShades · December 2011

Which are you doing?
FI and I were discussing it the other day.
Receiving lines suck, but then I dont really want to have to spend my dinner walking around to all the tables (between courses or whatever).
So I was thinking maybe we would do a receiving line, but only have it be FI and I. Since to us the most awkward part of receiving lines is talking to the parents and WP, since a lot of people dont know them all, and it isnt like they will be spending time with them in the future.
Question is, if we decide to do a receiving line, can you then still do a grand entrance coming into the hall?does it seem a little weird to greet everyone and then have a grand entrance?

leopardgurl831 · December 2011

We are actually exiting the church and then coming back in a releasing pews. I hear that goes much quicker for another option.

I also think you can still do a grand entrance at the hall if you do a receiving line there. I have seen that before also.

vineyard12 · December 2011

I've been thinking about this, too. I am not so sure I want to do a recieving line. Our wedding will only have 50 people, so I feel I can make my rounds during the reception pretty easily, and the reception is at the same place as the ceremony. FI's cousin got married last year at a church and she had about 150 people and a recieving line. She never came to our table and didn't see her until we were heading out. I think it depends on how big your wedding is. Our WP consists of MOH and best man. That's it.

arauchte · December 2011

We are doing the same thing. It is easier and then we are still making our grand entrance at the reception. I don't think that has anything to do with seeing the people before the reception.

bpphoto785 · December 2011

All of the above?
We are doing a reciving line after the ceremony because our ceremony and cocktail hour are in the same place, so it will give the event staff a minute to roll out the bar, etc. Then we'll do the grand entrance at the reception and make rounds at the tables during dinner. And I totally plan on eating somewhere in there too...

mandi921vh · December 2011

I think we will do receiving line with just us and our parents outside of the church after the ceremony. That way we won't miss talking to any of the guests. I feel that once at the reception I would forget people because not everyone stays in the same seats, plus I would feel terrible if I missed someone! Doing a receiving line I know that I for sure thanked everyone for coming.

toothpastechica · December 2011

we are not doing either, but we will hang out outside the church for a few minutes to talk to people....so chances are it will turn into a recieving line of sorts as that is what guests are accustomed to. We expect quite a bit of 'milling' at the reception as my family is the type of family to talk to everyone, so we are just allowing lots to time to 'eat' and encourage people to visit in that time and we will more informally visit with people. I hate both of these traditions but do understand the need to appriciate your guests time, so we opted to firgure out less formal solutions. Our reception is going to more of a family party then a formal event.

SunnyBB · December 2011

We are greeting tables because we are having ceremony/reception at one location (hotel) and a cocktail hour is immediately after the reception.

Bett2012 · December 2011

We are having 150 guests, and we will be circulating the tables to actually talk to people, but we will also be greeting people and thanking them for coming on their way out of the ceremony (just the two of us... parents and BP can mingle with whoever, but we want to make sure that we at least say hi and thanks for coming, even to our friends who aren't invited to the reception, but wanted to come to the ceremony anyways. (we've had many people tell us that they're coming to the ceremony even if we can't invite them to the reception)

classykat22 · December 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_may-2012-weddings_receiving-line-greeting-tables?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:f0ca0bc1-9255-4120-8042-b40e7f3e99c5Discussion:84a86bec-1113-4e94-803e-c5b37c5fc7cePost:8208fb80-05b0-4b28-ab24-de05b1d02742">Re: receiving line, or greeting at tables?</a>:
[QUOTE]We are greeting tables because we are having ceremony/reception at one location (hotel) and a cocktail hour is immediately after the reception.
Posted by SunnyBB[/QUOTE]
This! :)

AurorasEnvy · December 2011

While I hate the traditional receiving lines....we are doing one, although not a traditional one.

It is just going to be FI & I, about 150 yards or so from the church doors in a courtyard. That way no guest has to talk to bridal party members/family members they don't know. Also, if they choose not to wait in line, we should be far enough away where the line won't block the church door so people can still get out and leave if they want.

Personally, I think a receiving line with just the bride & groom will go faster than table visits. People will say hello and not chat forever knowing they have a line of people behind them. Plus, I always feel really awkward not being able to talk to the bride & groom right after the ceremony to congratulate them.

I really don't want to spend 2 hours after dinner greeting everyone at tables. Since there really isn't a "line" of people per se, I can see people being really chatty. I want the freedom to talk to who I want and go dance when I want without seeming rude because I haven't properly greeted every single guest yet. Not to sound rude, but I'd rather spend most of the reception with FI & my close friends/family than chatting with FI's great aunt who I've met twice before in my entire life.

If you do choose to do table visits though, please don't make your guests sit and do nothing during. I went to a wedding earlier this year where we had dinner, and then nothing happened for over an hour. We couldn't dance either because the DJ wasn't playing music & because the bride&groom hadn't had their first dance yet. You could tell everyone was getting bored & restless....

AurorasEnvy · December 2011

Oh, and we are still doing a grand entrance. Or being introduced, as I prefer to call it =]

kimberlykh · December 2011

We're doing the table visits. Our ceremony/reception is in the same place and the guests need to immediately get to the cocktail hour for the room flip. One of my biggest fears is somehow missing someone, but a receiving line won't work. So, I guess we'll just be very careful to get to everyone while they are eating.
And, OP, I totally think you can do the entrance and a receiving line.

kyliebird01 · December 2011

One more thing that you lovely ladies had informed me that I have not even thought about! 0_o LOL

receiving line, or greeting at tables?

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