Do You Need a Recieving Line?






The Formal Receiving Line

Being Bride and Groom, no doubt you would like the opportunity to great every guest personally at your wedding and the formal receiving line is the traditional way to achieve this. This normally takes place just before the sit-down wedding breakfast, although we have seen many guest over the years accidentally do this after the cvil or church service. To avoid an accidental greeting of guests make sure you move away from the church or civil room, otherwise your guests will stop to chat to you on the way out causing a blockage inside the church.

Problems With the Receiving Line

The most common problem with the formal receiving line, is that the wedding is often running late and the chef has hot food to plate up. Something has to give and its often the receiving line. (TIP) Save some time by reducing the line down to just the bride and groom or by using the experience of a toastmaster to move guests along quicker.

Informal Ways to Great Your Guests

Allot of bride and grooms will feel the formal line is just too old fashioned and will want a less riding way to great everybody. Here are a few ways that this can be achieved.

1) Going around the tables after the main course. Your wedding caterers will be relaxed once the main course has been served and as you have been served your main first, you should have plenty of time before the desserts are due to be served. Your guests will also be happy to great you once being fed and watered! Although you will be talking to each table as a group, don’t expect it to be allot quicker than a receiving line, but (TIP) bring the photographer around with you to take a photo at the end of the chat and this will gently move the process along.

2) Use the time when the room is changing around. Often there will be the need to clear up after your wedding breakfast and to change this room around fro the evening reception. Why not use this time to great your guests. Be inventive! Why not serve your guests chocolates, or a drink from the bar?

3) Use your evening Photo Booth to request guest shots.
Get some fun photos of everyone including your evening guests, whilst getting the opportunity to say hi to everyone and giving them a photo to take home with the happy couple. (TIP) So that you recognise guests avoid full face masks as props!

4) Add a video booth. If you have a large number of guest and fear that you might not be able to great everyone personally, add a video booth so they can leave you a video message.