Post # 1
Member
1188 posts
Bumble bee
Has anyone had, or is anyone planning to have, their wedding ceremony, cocktail hour and reception in the same place and still managed to do a receiving line? Or, do most opt for table visits or mingling during the cocktail hour instead? Our ceremony is in the main dining room of the club, then we have a cocktail hour in another part of the club, and then back to the main dining room for the reception. I would think it’d be weird to do a receiving line since we’re staying in the same building. Table visits seem time consuming, so I’m thinking cocktail hour, the only problem is that I think my Fiance and I might want a few minutes to ourselves during that time. Advice?
Post # 3
Member
18628 posts
Honey Beekeeper
We did a receiving line right after the ceremony even though the reception was at the same location. That way we got everyone together to take group pictures and then we were able to spend some time getting pictures of us with our family and that sort of thing. It was easier than going around to everyone during the dinner (we didn’t have time during the cocktail hour because we were too busy taking pictures and we had already done pictures beforehand too).
Post # 4
Member
2695 posts
Sugar bee
We’ve kicked this around a few times too. I think we aren’t going to do the whole receiving line because 200 people would take way too long. I think we’ll just try to float around the room that night and say hi to as many people as we can.
Post # 5
Member
1188 posts
Bumble bee
Yes, that’s the problem, we have 200 or so…hopefully more like 160! But still too many to do the line I’m thinking. My grandma really wants us to do one, but I think I’ll just have to tell her we’re going to mill around the cocktail hour after a few minutes to ourselves.
Post # 6
Member
610 posts
Busy bee
I would vote for table visits and/or cocktail hour group visits. Receiving line is too formal and contrived for my tastes and may be inconvenient for both your guests and you. What I did was asked is that my then Fiance and I be served our dinner full course first before everyone else so we have time to do table visits at a leisure pace. You can also do “exiting” line the last 30 min of your reception time as guests exit…
Post # 7
Member
672 posts
Busy bee
It depends on your preference, really. I’d do the receiving line probably, but that’s because I hate the idea of table visiting when I’d rather be eating or dancing. And most of my friends have said they didn’t even come close to talking to everyone when they tried to make the rounds at tables. I don’t think there really is any ideal way to do it, they all have their pros and cons.
I’ve been to a wedding where they had a receiving line (and ceremony, cocktail, reception all in one venue) and it worked fine! It probably depends on your general layout though, at this particular wedding it flowed really naturally between spaces and nothing felt cramped nor did I feel annoyed to be waiting in a line.
Post # 8
Member
7172 posts
Busy Beekeeper
We aren’t doing a receiving line and will just mingle during the reception.
We are doing everything in the same place and are battling with sunlight for pictures (we aren’t seeing each other before the ceremony). So, we’ll likely only have the reception to be with our guests.
Post # 9
Member
1260 posts
Bumble bee
I would say it largely depends on how many guests you will have at your ceremony. Like some people pointed out, it can be really time-consuming to do a receiving line for a large number of guests. I am opting not to do one, but my guest list is only 60, and we are having an hors doeurves style reception where we will be chatting with everyone anways.
How many guests do you have?
Post # 10
Member
1188 posts
Bumble bee
There are 200 on the list, but probably about 160 of them will be there, so I’m thinking a receiving line would just be too time consuming and irritating to those having to wait in line.
Post # 11
Member
1134 posts
Bumble bee
We are having about 180-190 guests at our wedding. Our church however explictly does not allow for a recieving line. They pretty much want us out of there ASAP. So, I am debating mingling during cocktail hour, but my Fiance seems to think it would be silly to mingle, then go out for an introduction and then back in again. We’ll probably be going around table to table after we eat and while our guests are still munching. I’m hoping it’ll work well with the buffet style dinner.
My vote is to go around table to table. Take the time for yourself and understand that you might not be able to have quality conversations with all of your guests.