Receiving Line?

Question

Ok so I have been reading about receiving lines at weddings, and I haven't seen what it really is. I'm getting married next year, August 8, 2008 and it won't be a huge wedding. So I was wondering what is a receiving line and how does it work? I will only have a maid of honor and my fiance will have a best man (both sibilings of ours). Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

"A receiving line is always seen at a truly formal wedding. The purpose behind the tradition is to allow the hostess - usually the Mother of the Bride, regardless of who is paying for the wedding - to personally welcome the guests into the reception.

Traditionally, the host - usually the Father of the Bride, regardless of who is paying for the wedding - mingles nearby, introducing guests to one an other, pointing guests in the direction of the bar and hors d'oeuvres, and so forth .

It is very similar to when a couple hosts a formal cocktail party in their home. The hostess greets and welcomes guests, then directs them toward the living room where her husband introduces them around and points them toward the bartender."

Usually less fomal parties opt not to have receiving lines.

I hope this website can help you more, this is where I got what is posted above:
http://www.superweddings.com/article-receivinglines.html

Answer 2

Frequently after the ceremony, the bride & groom, their parents, and sometimes the best man and maid of honor, will stand up in a line after the ceremony, or right before the reception. This gives everyone a chance to pass on their congratulations to the happy couple and their parents.

It is no longer as common as it once was, although it is still fairly popular.

Personally, I like them -- but the line can be dreadful. As the bride or groom, this is sometimes the only chance you have to get to greet everyone who comes to your wedding.

One cool thing that a couple I work with did was to "release" the guests personally instead of doing a receiving line. People were allowed to stay seated until their turn to leave came, and then they got to pass on their congratulations. It took longer, but was more comfortable than a lot of traditional receiving lines.

Other couples will have people seated at the reception, and will come around and greet everyone. But then, if someone doesn't make it to the reception, you don't get a chance to see them.

Whatever you do, just be sure to have fun.

Answer 3

After the ceremony the bride and groom walk out then the bridal party followed by the bride and groom's family. Then everyone stands in line and as the guests leave they walk down the line telling the bridal party how beautiful the ceremony was and offering their congratulations to the bride and groom. It is not mandatory to have a receiving line but is something that is nice to have if you have a lot of people that will be at the ceremony but won't be able to make the receptoin for whatever reason. However, it is time consuming, and you can just see people at the reception and have them offer their congrats there. Or if you know of people that won't be making it to the reception then if you are doing the photos right after maybe have the family go and start taking the photos and let the guests just say their congrats to the bride and groom that won't be able to make it. Hope this answers your question. Good luck.

Answer 4

So now you know what a receiving line is. They are more or less customary here in the South, particularly in a church wedding. From a photographer's point of view, I don't like them! They take up a lot of time...sometimes a VERY long time and it eats into time for the formals. When the guests are very chatty. the line sometimes lasts for a hour. I think a better plan is for the b&g to mingle at the reception. Sometimes I do table shots (another popular thing here in the South) with the b&g moving from table to table to visit.

If you're doing one, make sure everyone involved in the wedding (the bridal party, parents, coordinator, and photographer) knows about it and to schedule extra time.

Answer 5

There are different ways to do this, and some people don't have it at all.
Some couples have the parents of both of you be by the guest book table at the reception, so the guests come in, and meet the parents.
What we did at our wedding (it was ethnic) was have a full-on receiving line, at one point in the dance, so people would go through, then go on to get their late lunch. We were lined up just as we were at the head table, with parents included on one side.
Some people also do it after the ceremony, but that can be too time-consuming.

Answer 6

It is when the bride and groom, parents and bridal party all line up usually after the ceremony and all of the guests walk through the line and say their greetings. It can take a ridiculously long time to get all of the guests throug the line. We are opting not to have a receving line at our wedding. We want to get to the reception and enjoy the evening with everyone. We can mingle then!

Answer 7

It is where you and the groom, the attendants, and the families line up to "receive" the guests and so they can all meet .

It used to be a must, but none of my brides do it anymore. It takes a long time (especially if you have lots of guests) and by that time your feet are killing you and you are starving and dying of thirst, etc. I don't recommend it.

Instead, have the guests greet you at the head table or at a couple's table just for you and the groom. Then you actually get to sit down, and eat, and rest a moment! You also don't feel as if you have to "work the room" all night!

Answer 8

A 'Receiving Line' is when guests line up & come into the reception room. They are then greeted by the hosts (bride & groom, brides parents, grooms parents) who are also standing in a line to welcome the guests couple by couple or person by person (if alone).

Usually a hello & welcome to the wedding is all is that is said by the hosts to each quest.

Then as each quest has been welcomed they look at the list of where to sit at the tables.
.......

The 'Receiving Line' is usually done at very formal wedding receptions or social events such as Balls.

It started in history when the Royals gave a big event such as a Ball. The guests names would be shouted out by the 'cryer' as they entered the Ball Room to announce to the Royals who had arrived & then the Royals would nod their heads at the announced guests & utter a welcome. The quests had then been 'officially' recognised & welcomed & 'received' by the Royals. A very important protocol back then.

The "Receiving Line' was copied by the upper class gentry & then handed down to us mere mortals. It is not usual to do this today.

Answer 9

A receiving line is a way for the bride & groom, and their parents, to touch base and thank everyone for coming. That way, they talk to everyone at least once and dont miss anyone.
You just line up outside the ceremony site, and as people leave, they go down the line congratulating the bride & groom and thanking the hosts of the reception. No need to have bridesmaids and groomsmen in the receiving line- keep it short & sweet.

Answer 10

receiving lines are when you great all the guests that come to the wedding. for example, at my wedding we had a receiving line as we left the church after the ceremony...my husband and i and our parents all stood in a line while everyone exited the church and we greeted everyone and thanked them for coming. it's a sign of respect for people spending your special day with you. some people do this also at the reception. we chose to do it at the church because we knew it would go faster and we wanted to get this obligation out of the way so that we could enjoy the rest of our day with each other. hope this explained what a receiving line is and helped you out - best of luck in the year to come, it goes by fast, trust me!!!