Today we’ll learn why people have reception lines and, more importantly, why you should break the tradition. We have some better ideas to make your reception a little more fun and less awkward.
What Is a Receiving Line at a Reception?
In a receiving line, guests wait to congratulate the couple, and the couple can thank them for coming. Or otherwise where the hosts of the party receive their guests. Some call it a reception line.
You might have attended a wedding and waited in a long reception line to greet an army of bridesmaids and groomsmen, grandparents, and parents before getting to the one person you know.
Some receiving lines include the bridal party, whereas others simply have the couple and their parents. This gives the bride and groom an opportunity to personally greet and thank each guest for coming.
It can also give the couple a chance to introduce each other to extended family and friends who are important to them.
Why You Should Skip the Reception Line at Your Wedding
Reception lines have a great and important purpose. Couples should definitely take time to greet and talk to every guest. They have come to support you, likely have traveled, taken time off work, and bought a gift.
Friends and family have come to party with, talk to, and congratulate you (per your own invitation). The least you can do is thank them and greet them.
However, receiving lines really put a damper on the party and the good intention of having the line. Here’s why you should skip the lines.
Long Wait Times for a Short Greeting
No one likes waiting in line, especially at a wedding. Then after guests wait for sometimes 30 minutes or more, they spend less than a minute greeting people they don’t know and hugging and congratulating the bride and groom. It can feel very awkward. You may not know what to say and feel a little annoyed having to wait in line just to say congrats.
Rushed Greeting Feels Less Sincere
Additionally, people who really want to talk to the couple feel rushed because of the line of people waiting behind them. It can also feel very forced and rushed. While you may have good intentions wanting to greet every guest, it can come off as very superficial.
Hard on the Bride and Groom
Finally, for the bride and groom, it can feel exhausting to stand there for sometimes more than an hour as guests arrive. You don’t get to eat or sit and must give obligated hugs to great aunts or distant relatives on your new spouse’s side.
It can take up so much time that you miss part of your party, delay your timeline, and don’t get a chance to really mingle with friends and family. Some brides feel they spent too much time greeting guests who kept arriving late and that their receiving line never ended. It can also really dull the vibe of the party. So what can you do instead?
Here’s What You Should Do Instead
Instead of having long receiving lines that neither side enjoys, spend more time engaging with guests in a personal way. Here are some options to greet guests at your wedding reception.
Talk to Each Guest at Their Table
One of the more meaningful ways to greet and welcome your guests is to talk to each person at their tables while they wait for the food. This provides a more casual and comfortable way to talk, laugh, and share memories.
It can also make your guests feel more valued and appreciated. You don’t have to feel the need to rush conversations or boil them down to a simple congratulations.
You can also speed things up a bit by talking to a whole family or table at the same time. Some couples choose to divide and conquer for some guests or friends that only know one of them.
You can choose to greet people as they find their seats at the venue, while they’re eating, or at another slow time.
Greet Guests as They Arrive
Instead of having guests stand in line when they arrive, you can go up to each guest and thank them for coming when they walk in. That way, as other guests arrive at the same time, they can explore the venue and begin to mingle with others.
It can provide a more natural environment for conversations and a good way to ease into the evening. If you feel worried about missing someone who came in that you haven’t greeted yet, give a bridesmaid or groomsman the responsibility of directing you to other guests who entered while you were talking.
Talk to Guests Before Dinner
You may choose to have a grand entrance into your reception. Greeting guests right after this can add some excitement for them and provide a good buffer between reception events.
If you have a catered meal, it can take time for every table to be served. You can take that time to welcome everyone, whether at tables or around the venue.
Have a Conversation at a Photo Booth
You may also choose to have a fun photo session with every guest. Doing a photo booth can give you an opportunity to greet and thank your guests and take a photo with them that they can take home as a memory. It can even make a fun way to remember those special people in your life and what they had to say to you on your special day. Years later, you can feel happy that you got a picture with that grandparent or close family friend who passed away.
Play Games With Guests
Instead of doing formal greetings, provide time in your reception schedule to play some games with your guests. This could look like lawn games like cornhole or table games like Scattergories or Bingo. Then you can play and talk with friends and family while keeping everyone entertained.
Find Times to Have Natural Conversations
Throughout the night, you’ll have times when you need a break from dancing. You can use this moment to talk with those not on the dance floor. Or you can make an effort to dance with everyone and party with them.
You may also have moments where you slow things down for cutting the cake or the bouquet toss. Use these moments to have conversations with guests.
Just take time to really bond with every person who has come to support you on your special day. Even short conversations throughout the night can make them feel welcomed and acknowledged and want to stay to the end.
Talking With Every Guest Is Necessary; Reception Lines Aren’t
By the end of the night, I hope you got a chance to talk with every guest, party with them, celebrate, and thank them for coming. Some brides regret not spending more time talking with their family and friends, especially those they haven’t seen in a while.
And while it’s important to spend time with just you and your new spouse, you have a beautiful opportunity to bond with your partner and your family.
Feel free to skip the receiving line, get straight into the fun part, and find your own way of greeting your guests personally. Just don’t miss your chance to connect. Have your bridal party help when needed.
Don’t waste time in a long and awkward situation when you can skip to the good parts and get the party started.
Hope this helps!
Love, Laurel
