Receiving Line?

[FaithfulServant]

Who is having one and why and how?

We are having one so that we are able to greet all of our guests so that we make sure to make everyone feel wlecome and they won't feel obligated to have to come up to us. Our wedding will probably be about 100 or so people so this is feasible.

Dilema is WHEN? Do it right when the ceremony is over? (It is outside so it would make the people have to stand in the August Texas heat before coming inside to reception)
Do it as they go through the buffet line? (Then we wouldn't get to eat until after everyone else and then they want to talk to us - we can't talk with mouths full of food!)
As we are about to leave? This doesn't solve anything because then people think all night that we won't be doing one...

Im voting for when the ceremony is over. Any better ideas?

Are you have your parents or bridesmaids/groomsmen or grandparents be in the receiving line? We are jsut doing bride, groom, and parents so that in case there is somebody we don't recognize my parents can say "Oh, this is great aunt so and so".

 

[reverie_maiden]

Oooo....that is a good question! I don't know when Joey and I are doing ours either. If we did one I am sure it would just be us and our parents, mostly because we won't have any attendants.

Even though it probably will be hot there....it would be the best to do it right after the wedding. It shouldn't take that long, right?

 

[JourneyRain]

I'm not engaged but I have seen several different verisons of the receiving line. Doing it right after the ceremony is the most popular though. My sister had everyone in the wedding party line up outside of the sanctuary and people greeted us as they went down to the reception.

Another friend who had a huge wedding had everyone row by row greet the couple and then the rest of the wedding party was waiting to be greeted if people wanted to.

I have seen several couples greet each row and the rest of the party is out of the sanctuary. Depending on the size of the party (and the dress!), I think that works best because one you go to them and no one sneaks out because they are sitting and in someways waiting to be released. I'm unsure if any of this made sense but just ideas I have seen.

 

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

At our reception we had all our formal shots done outside whilst out guests were in ordering off our preset menu and what not. So we just walked in to some music, and then the mains were served.

We only had 37 guests though, so it was pretty easy for us to go to each table of 6/7 and say hello...

At the end, we got everyone to walk out onto the balcony and we walked through them and hugged each person. It was a nice way to end the day, as they were then able to sit outside and watch the sun begin to set with a cup of tea or coffee (we left our lunchtime reception at 4pm).

Sasch

 

[Maeyken]

We had a receiving line.

It was just us and our parents. I don't see the point of having the wedding party in the line- most of the guests don't know them, and it's just awkward! I could see if the wedding party was siblings or something... but otherwise, no way! I was in my friend's receiving line as her maid of honour, and it was soo awkward. The best man had recently gotten married, so everyone thought I was his wife... and I didn't know hardly anyone.

Ok rant over!

We did our receiving line immediately after the ceremony. We had a little finger-food reception at the church, so people came through the line and went into the gym (where we had the food). It gave them something to do while we were having the receiving line and doing our pictures, before the dinner reception elsewhere.

Our receiving line was outdoors, but it was in June so it was just pleasantly warm.

Also, at our reception we went around to each table after dinner, and took a group pic of the people there to put in a scrapbook- so we were able to see everyone again. We had about 150 people at the reception, and maybe 175 at the church.

 

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

Is it common in America to have the bridal party and parents do the receiving line (by receiving line I'm assuming you mean like everyone walks past the bridal party/parents as they enter the reception OR the farewell circle type thing at the end)?

In Australia, the majority of receptions I've been to, have the parents/bridal party introduced by the MC as they enter the reception (in our case we just had him introduce me and DH), and at the end there's a farewell circle, where the bride and groom just go around and say goodbye to everyone (some don't have this though).

I haven't been to one where the parents or bridal party welcome/farewell everyone as well... interesting.

From reading Aussie forums on weddings, it seems like this is only an American tradition.

Sasch

 

[allwills]

I'm planning on having a cocktail hour after the ceremony so when people are going into the cocktail hour, I'll do the recieving line then. My only deal is some people will be getting there at the beginning and some people will walk in and only be there for about 5 minutes before we move to the reception. But I feel like that's the best option

 

[ThatButton]

Most of the weddings I have been to the bride and groom go row to row and "release" each row. I liked that because then we didn't have to wait in line... We were able to sit. Some weddings had the entire bridal party and parents in the back as a second receiving line before the guests went outside but for my wedding I will just have the parents because like someone said above many of the guests won't know our attendants.

 

[...butterfly...]

this is what we're planning on doing.
ceremony obviously ends with a kiss, we walk (or run lol) to the end of the aisle and shortly after, we'll walk back down the aisle and hug each person in attendance. in a sense, "dismissing" folks a row at a time. this way they're dismissed a bit slower and that way there isn't a big crowd and those that don't need to be there for the fomal pics can leave afterward and get good seats at the reception. we saw this done at a wedding we went to in Oct, and really liked the idea.

 

[morningstar84]

I love the idea of "dismissing" each row. My cousin and his wife did this, and I thought it was such a friendly, warm thing to do. I like it much better than making people stand in line, waiting to shake hands, etc. I think dismissing each row seems more casual and friendly. I'm going to discuss this with DF; I'm sure he'll love the idea, though.

but if you like the receiving line, then go for it!

 

[GodrockDJ]

Immediately after we walked down the aisle our whole bridal party was herded into the lobby and arranged into the receiving line. We did have our groomsmen and bridesmaids in the line but I was just going with the flow and letting other people direct stuff like that lol. Anyhoo it was nice because not everyone at the ceremony was coming to the reception, so we were able to immediately greet and hug everyone who came through the line.