Receiving Line...any alternatives?

Question

Who is traditionally in the receiving line? I can see that it may be potentially uncomfortable for many of the typical people that stand in the receiving line.... parents...bridal party...since they don't know many people. My fiance and I are considering just having us in the line with our parents and wedding party near by. Is that acceptable? What works best for everyone?

Answer 1

When I got married, our receiving line was me, my new hubby, and my new step-daughter.

What determines whether your have a receiving line and who's in it depends on time and number of guests. Generally, if you've having over a hundred guests or so, you should have a receiving line that includes the bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and parents. For 50-100, just the bride, groom, maid of honor, and best man. For under 50, just the bride and groom.

If you've got a large gap, as April said, a longer receiving line works. But if it's straight from wedding to reception, you might skip the line altogether, depending on what you and your fiance feel comfortable with. But then, my husband and I had our receiving line with the reception site only a few feet away from the ceremony site (everything done in the park, with the reception under a pavilion there) and immediately following.

Answer 2

I think we're going to not have a receiving line, and just visit at the tables during the reception.  We figure people won't leave during dinner or whatnot.

Answer 3

I personally didn't have a receiving line. It takes up a lot of time and I preferred to go around to the guests tables once we got to the reception. My wedding coordinator even advised us against it because of the tight time schedule. If you have a big gap in time between the ceremony and reception then you could do a receiving line. Most of the weddings I've been to though have opted to skip that tradition.

Usually the brides parents, grooms parents, bridal party and bride and groom are in the receiving line...you could just have you and your parents do a receiving line with the wedding party near by. I think that would be  perfectly acceptable.

EDIT: Do you have people that are coming to the ceremony that won't be attending the reception? In my case everyone who attended the ceremony was also invited to the reception - so I was able to see everyone there. If you know a few people who are coming to the ceremony but not the reception you could always have your bridal party pull them aside after the wedding and tell them to stick around. This way you can say a few nice words to them...but there are always thank you notes too! I personally feel you could skip it all together. I felt uncomfortable doing it...and i know that my bridal party felt the same way - so we skipped it!    :)

Answer 4

I agree with April.  I would also skip the receiving line (what am I saying "would"; I DID skip the receiving line).  But I only had 90 guests, and fully half of them were around a few days before the wedding (our families, some friends).  It did take longer than I expected, because people like to chat, while the receiving line moves people right along.  

There's nothing wrong with a receiving line with just you guys.  Don't know why I didn't think of that!

Answer 5

Speaking as a person who has attended countless weddings, I personally like when they don't have a receiving line.  It takes way too long to get through it and then you have to hug and kiss people you don't even know to say congrats to the couple.

Answer 6

Here's an idea...hope you like it.   A Receiving Photo

Only the bride and groom take center stage on the dance floor.  The MC calls each table up, telling them to take their empty champagne glasses with them.  Men instructed to stand on Grooms side, women on Brides side. When in place, 1/2 turn, raise glass, smile and 'Cheers' to Bride & Groom.  You will have a keepsake photo, that your guests might also want a copy of!

The first table will take a couple of minutes to 'place', the subsequent tables will see how it's done and this should not take too long at all.

Answer 7

Good manners absolutely require that the hostess of any formal party greet her guests as they arrive, and introduce them to the guests of honour. At a wedding, this requirement is met by having a receiving line. The absolutely minimum requirement, then, for a receiving line, is the mother of the bride, the bridal couple, and the mother of the groom.

Ideally, a hostess should conclude her greeting of each guest by introducing the guest to two or three other people with whom they might then strike up a conversation. Since this is not possible when a large number of guests are arriving at once -- the usual situation when a receiving line is employed -- friends of the hostess take on this responsibility of introducing new arrivals into a conversation group. The fathers and groomsmen should take on this responsibility, but the bridesmaids may certainly do so as well if they are released from standing in the receiving line.