Comments on: Receiving Lines 101

By: JaneC

JaneC — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:33:03 +0000

We hadn’t planned on greeting our guests as they exited the church, but it just sort of happened that way. We intended to go quickly around the back of the church to wait for the photographer, but our parents came out and had to hug us right away, and then guests started trickling out, and they figured that since we were still standing by the doors of the church being hugged by our parents and grandparents, this must be the time for everyone to greet the happy couple. Oh, well. We did our dances out of order too, but no one seemed to notice or mind, and it was still a heck of a good party.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:23:44 +0000

I think these things vary from place to place as well. In Ireland, the closest thing you get to a receiving line is at the church, which makes the whole thing very straightforward.

By: Julie

Julie — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:52:07 +0000

I guess my real point is that in my group of family and friends, it would be more awkward and strange for us to have the line at the reception. And if it feels more comfortable for me, my fiance, all of our guests, and the officials at the house of worship, then the etiquette doesn’t really matter. Isn’t the point of manners to show consideration and respect for the people around you?

And I don’t think God will be offended by our decision to greet people outside the doors to His church.

By: Twistie

Twistie — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:59:15 +0000

Folks, just because it’s common doesn’t make it correct. No matter how often it’s done, the fact is that you are not the host at a church, so your receiving line should not happen until you reach a place where you can be the host. Miss Manners entirely backs me up on this point.

By: Julie

Julie — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:21:49 +0000

Yeah, I’d have to disagree on the “no receiving line at the church” thing. Every church wedding I’ve ever been to either does the “dismissing rows” as Amy said or has the line in the foyer of the church. I think the line forms much more naturally there than at the reception site, since people have to line up to get out of the building anyway. Our coordinator at the church actually suggested it as the best way to get guests to leave and do their mingling at the reception site instead of the church so that we can start pictures in the church as soon as possible.

By: rabrab

rabrab — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:04:32 +0000

I’ve been to quite a few weddings where the receiving line was held on the church steps after the ceremony. It always went quite smoothly, and had the advantage of including those people who for whatever reason (usually health- or age-related) were not going to the reception.

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:09:18 +0000

We’re going to be doing an alternative receiving line. Because we are inviting several elderly guests that won’t be able to make it to our reception site (and standing for several minutes in a receiving line would be impossible for them), we will be releasing guests from the ceremony.

The way this works: Immediately after the wedding party exists, the bride and groom return into the chapel (I am assuming church weddings) and greet everyone in a row of chairs (starting with the parents of the bride and alternating sides of the church, moving toward the back)before those guests exit down the center aisle. (Parents and other persons of interest stand in the foyer, just outside the chapel.)

This way, everyone at the ceremony gets to see us long enough to distribute congratulations, and only one row has to stand at a time. This works best for under 200 guests, and only if you have music or some other form of background going on at the time.