The Receiving Line – To Have or To Have Not? Tips on Enjoying Your Wedding Guests

One of the many wedding decisions: to have or to not have the famed receiving line. It’s a tricky one. You want to take the time to thank each person for sharing your special day, especially people who traveled a long way for the wedding. And yet, standing in that line…

The wedding day goes by so quickly, it’s really hard to do everything you want to do and see everyone you want to see. As wedding photographers, part of our goal is to help make the day go as smoothly as possible. Today on the J&A Blog, we’re sharing a few alternative ideas for the classic receiving line!

1. Table to Table

It’s really popular for the bride and groom to go around to each table during the reception and take a minute or two to speak to their guests. This works great if it’s well planned out. First of all, you’ll want to allow enough time in your reception schedule to do this – you don’t want to have to miss out on the dancing because you didn’t have enough time to do it all! One of the best times is to do this while the guests are eating dinner – before the dancing begins.

2. Time for Cake!

Also consider going around to the tables while the guests are waiting for/eating their cake. Another option? Standing behind the cake table and speaking to each guest as you hand them a piece of cake.

3. Wedding Favors

This is my personal favorite: go to each table and personally hand out the wedding favors. (Tip: have the MOH or another attendant help out by carrying the basket of favors for you!) Because you’re actively doing something for each of the guests, it’s a little bit easier for everyone to understand that you need to keep moving on to other people and might not have 20 minutes to spend with them. It helps keep the conversations a little bit shorter!

 

4. Dismiss

If you’ve completed your pictures before the ceremony, you can go back in and dismiss guests row by row, allowing each one to greet you on their way out. It takes a little while to exit the venue, but guests at least get to be seated instead of standing in a very long line. Make sure you talk with your photographer and wedding planner well before hand if you choose this alternative – it requires some extra time management to make sure you will be able to juggle this with family pictures, dinner service, etc.

5. Buffet Line

Take advantage of the buffet line. Brilliant! Stand next to the line and have people greet you as they move forward toward the food. You will have to wait a little longer to eat yourselves, but it allows you to greet each guest without creating the need for an additional line.

6. Cocktail Hour

Another one of my favorites: set aside time for a cocktail hour before the reception meal is served – this is a more informal opportunity for guests to mix and to speak to you. It chisels out time for you to focus on your guests, and frees your reception time for you to do what you enjoy.

7. Photo Booth

This is one of the most memorable (and possibly most time-consuming) alternatives: Have a photo booth session: you hang out at the photo booth, while guests come and take pictures with you. It’s an amazing way to get snapshots with all of your guests and speak to them at the same time. (Tip: this works best with smaller weddings.)

No matter what options you choose, there is one important rule to remember: as much as you would like to, you just don’t have time for a full conversation with every single guest at your wedding. You have to keep moving quickly to speak to each guest. If you don’t move quickly, you’ll either: spend your entire reception talking to guests, miss out on speaking to some guests because they leave before you make it their way, or get overwhelmed.

And honestly, some couples want to spend their reception time talking to guests! There’s nothing wrong with that! If you’re a bride that enjoys a little (or a lot!) of dancing, cake eating, and focusing on your brand new groom, these ideas will help bridge that gap!

You want to enjoy your reception, so consider which alternative best fits your wedding timeline and your personality. Your guests totally understand how busy and crazy this day is for you, but it’s so special to have an opportunity to speak with the people spending this most important day of your life with you.

Do you have any receiving line alternative ideas? Comment below!

*hugs*

Amber