receiving line or table visits or both?

[larussel03]

This question popped into my head, so I figured I''d ask you guys what you think, although I swear I read a similar thread but I can''t find it now when I search, so here goes:

Are you having a receiving line on top of table visits during the reception? The reason I ask is we are having our wedding in the end of November so I was thinking of having the guests exit after FI and I have so that we can greet each one as they leave, but I don''t know how long it would take 150 guests to go through? I feel like we should have a receiving line, but is it annoying for guests to have to wait to exit through us? I''m thinking of doing both, but wanted to hear what others did.

 

[AmberWaves]

Sweetpea, I think we''re going to do table visits, because the receiving line just sounds like it takes forever.

We''re doing a daytime wedding, and I want to be able to EAT! So I think we may just go from table to table. With 150 people, it''ll only be 15 tables, so that''s not so bad.

 

[E B]

We''re going to be doing table visits as well. To be honest, I have no idea how a receiving line works.

 

[MelissaSue]

Okay.. maybe its just around here.. because everytime I hear this question asked it just sounds ridiculous to me because around here.. EVERYONE does both.. always..

We did our recieving line at the church.. seriously.. it did NOT take that long.. And it was nice because we could do hugs and stuff that would frankly be awkward at a table during dinner.. It MAYBE took 10 minutes.. but I''d say more like 5.

Then at dinner, we ate first and we went and saw everyone at the tables.. we missed some people there though.. because they were up getting drinks, the bathroom etc.. We handed out our favors when we did this so it wasn''t just like we went and stood by each table for 2 seconds.. because I always find that awkward..

My answer to this question is you should always do both. I had some guests that didn''t make it to the church and like I said some i missed at the reception.. so this way we were sure to see everyone and get to chat a bit.. but obviously this is not the case everywhere.. because I see this question asked ALL the time.

 

[JessesGrl]

I did a receiving line ONLY. It took about 30 minutes...at the reception I was up dancing with practically everyone anyways. My husband and I also did not have a "card box" so everyone came up and gave us our card ( we received only money, no gifts...)

 

[AmberWaves]

Sweetpea, I forgot to mention that our ceremony site is also our reception venue, so to have both would be a waste of time, since we''re not going to stand there and welcome everyone while they should be having apps. and cocktails, and we should be taking pictures. Which is why we''re going to do it during the reception, it makes sense to us. And our coodinator!

 

[FireGoddess]

Our ceremony and reception were at the same site, so we did the table visit thing during the reception.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

We did a receiving line by releasing rows. It worked out really well.

 

[monarch64]

Love Tacori''s releasing rows idea!

We also had our ceremony and reception at the same site, but we did a receiving line anyway...it took about 35-40 minutes for almost 100 guests to get through, and the bar was right inside so guests could grab hors d''heurvres (sp? whatever) and drinks. My mother and father were host/hostess and did table visits, and DH and I managed to mingle with just about everyone.

I''m a huge fan of receiving lines...all the weddings I''ve been to without them I have felt like I didn''t get a formal chance to wish the B & G well and congratulate them. It is definitely something to think seriously about. I have never felt impatient or annoyed when waiting in a receiving line. We are always talking to whomever is in line before or behind us, so the time passes quickly anyway. Just my .02!

 

[Tybee]

How interesting...
Different personalities prefer different things.
I''m not a fan of receiving lines. I find them uncomfortable and too forced, but, I''m sure that''s just my prickly personality!
We hugged and mingled casually right after the ceremony, but we were lucky, we only had around 65 guests!
We also did table visits during the reception.
I''m weird like that, though...

 

[tanyak]

Date: 8/15/2006 6:37:13 PM
Author: Tybee
How interesting...
Different personalities prefer different things.
I'm not a fan of receiving lines. I find them uncomfortable and too forced, but, I'm sure that's just my prickly personality!
We hugged and mingled casually right after the ceremony, but we were lucky, we only had around 65 guests!
We also did table visits during the reception.
I'm weird like that, though...

I agree. We're having a fairly casual wedding, and the receiving line seems a little too forced and formal to me as well. We'll go around and visit tables.

 

[diamondfan]

I think a receiving line is more formal, old fashioned and takes a lot of time. I found it to be less intimate and I think just going from table to table, and letting people come up to you throughout the evening, is really nicer, imho!!!

 

[larussel03]

my main worry with a receiving line is that we have a half hour drive bw our ceremony and reception site (due to there being only one Melkite church in the state, and Boston venues for receptions being too expensive) and that if it takes ~half an hour, there will be guests staggering into the reception for half an hour and either some may miss half of the cocktail hour, or they'd have to stand around if the cocktail hour started later to accomodate the people who leave the church last.

ETA: Plus, picture taking time for us during the cocktail hour will be lessened and I dont want to make people wait past the cocktail hour for us to enter...

 

[MelissaSue]

hmm.. around here.. even weddings with the reception and ceremony at the same spot do both.. I think perhaps ONE of my friends did not do the receieving line with both at the same location. I guess it did make some sense becauise that was the only time they had for pictures was during the cocktail hour.. At least two other friends of mine did both though...even with both at the same place.. And everyone I''ve ever known to have a church ceremony (I grew up in a VERY catholic town so almost everyone I know has had a church ceremony.. I think I''m the only non catholic in the town.. and I married a cathlolic.. hehe).. has had a recieving line.. and really its just rude not to visit the tables during the reception.. So.. that is a given..

 

[larussel03]

Date: 8/16/2006 11:17:33 AM
Author: MelissaSue
hmm.. around here.. even weddings with the reception and ceremony at the same spot do both.. I think perhaps ONE of my friends did not do the receieving line with both at the same location. I guess it did make some sense becauise that was the only time they had for pictures was during the cocktail hour.. At least two other friends of mine did both though...even with both at the same place.. And everyone I've ever known to have a church ceremony (I grew up in a VERY catholic town so almost everyone I know has had a church ceremony.. I think I'm the only non catholic in the town.. and I married a cathlolic.. hehe).. has had a recieving line.. and really its just rude not to visit the tables during the reception.. So.. that is a given..

Oh yeah, table visits are a def MUST. I went to 2 weddings this summer where niether had a receiving line (one had an informal one, but it wasn't official, it was more friends going over to say hi) but the 2nd the bride literally walked past our table. I didn't care about not going through a receiving line, but I was kind of offended that she literally just blew right by us.

My main concern with posing this question is that I want to make sure that I dont perform any faux-pas at my wedding that can make us regarded as rude...

 

[tanyak]

I said I was doing table visits, but now I have a question about how it works exactly. We will be introduced at 8:15 and do the first dance. Then the buffet starts. We get our food first, then the other tables will be released, so everyone won't start eating at the same time. When everyone's done with their meal, we swing into the cake cutting and then the dancing will crank up. Do we visit the tables as people are eating and after we're done eating ( and yes, I plan to take my time and eat my food. I'll be starving!

? That's the only time everyone will be at the table seated, I think.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 8/16/2006 10:28:59 AM
Author: diamondfan
I think a receiving line is more formal, old fashioned and takes a lot of time. I found it to be less intimate and I think just going from table to table, and letting people come up to you throughout the evening, is really nicer, imho!!!

Oh, do I agree!!! I can''t think of many things I hate more than standing in a receiving line for 30-45 minutes. I think mingling with the guests at the reception is faaar better for everyone! I have never seen it done the way Tacori said, but that might be okay. At least maybe the people could be sitting until their rows were released!

 

[larussel03]

Date: 8/16/2006 12:21:59 PM
Author: tanyak
I said I was doing table visits, but now I have a question about how it works exactly. We will be introduced at 8:15 and do the first dance. Then the buffet starts. We get our food first, then the other tables will be released, so everyone won't start eating at the same time. When everyone's done with their meal, we swing into the cake cutting and then the dancing will crank up. Do we visit the tables as people are eating and after we're done eating ( and yes, I plan to take my time and eat my food. I'll be starving!

? That's the only time everyone will be at the table seated, I think.

I'm not sure exactly how it'd work during a buffet, maybe you could eat first then get up and visit tables, since you guys serve yourselves first that'll probably give plenty of time. During mine, I think FI and I will do the table visits during the salad and soup courses so we can be seated by the time dinner comes around.

 

[AmberWaves]

I think to do a receiving line in the tent we're having our ceremony in will be a little too much time for both us and the guests, since that is the only time we're going to have to take pictures, a 10am ceremony almost ensures no time before to take pictures. Our reception is five hours long, so I'm sure we can squeeze in the time (sarcastic

) to go to 15 tables, and talk to all the people on the dance floor. Maybe it's a So. Cal thing, but I've never been to a wedding with a receiving line. They all came from table to table, spending at least 10 minutes with each table. These were Catholic, Jewish, and Arabic weddings, too, so I don't think there was anything to do with religion in their decision to not have one. We're not having a religious wedding, either. I guess it seems like the receiving line is a bit machine-like, like the airplanes when the stewards say "Bye Bye" on your way out. What I'm trying to say in a rambling way, is I think it's up to you. For an informal gathering like ours, it's just too "formal" seeming.