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Beginner October 2021

4Pm vs 4:30pm ceremony? Receiving lines?? Separate venues

Emily, on April 2, 2021 at 8:57 PM Posted in Wedding Ceremony 0 6

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Hi all,
I’m really torn between the two start times, but I’m leaning towards 4:30 because of the “good luck” associated with the time. Our church is ~10 min drive from our reception venue, a popular brewery where guests may/may not struggle with parking. Reception starts at 6pm.

We are doing a first look, and bridal party portraits before our 30 minute ceremony. Which I thought would leave ample time for family portraits at approx 5pm before heading to the brewery. Neither of our families are very big, and we only anticipate maybe 60 guests in attendance, however after meeting with our reverend he said the receiving line could add another 30 mins before being able to start family pictures. I honestly haven’t been to a wedding in so long I don’t really remember receiving lines?? Is this a necessary thing? And if not, how do we gracefully take pictures with our families quickly while still making it to our reception on time? Maybe I’m being silly but I really don’t want to miss any of our own party 😩

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6 Comments

Latest activity by Lady, on April 5, 2021 at 10:09 AM

Master July 2019
Hannah · on April 2, 2021 at 9:12 PM
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Receiving lines have kinda fell out of fashion. Most couples just visit tables during the reception. However, the thing that jumped out at me was difficulty parking at the brewery. Could you maybe reserve parking or hire a valet service to make sure your guests aren't circling around finding a parking spot for awhile? Pictures are usually taken during cocktail hour, or you can get a lot of photos done before the ceremony if you want.
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Liz · on April 3, 2021 at 4:53 AM
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I can’t remember the last time when I went to a wedding with receiving line.* IMHO, they’re time consuming and dull for all concerned. If anyone notices you’re not having one, it will likely be with a sigh of relief. Just make sure you circulate and greet your guests at other points during the reception.
I’m intrigued by your coment about 4.30 being associated with good luck - I’ve never heard that before, where does it come from?
*Now that I think of it, the last receiving line I can remember was at a 2nd cousin’s wedding, some time in the mid 90s. And I’ve always experienced them occurring between the cocktail hour and the sit down meal, so not impacting photographs.
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Master January 2019
Cassidy · on April 3, 2021 at 7:05 AM
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I went to one wedding with a receiving line. It was awkward. I don’t know how long it took them but it didn’t seem very long.
We sort of had an impromptu one. After we left the church everyone filed out after us and we just stood in the narthex. A lot of people came up to us. We also got to circulate and greet those who didn’t. It took 5-10 minutes max and then the photographer callled us back for photos. We had 64 guests. We also had some time to greet people at the end of cocktail hr and after dinner.
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Master January 2019
Cassidy · on April 3, 2021 at 7:06 AM
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The time thing has to do with the hand of the clock moving upward (before :30 the hand is moving downward). I don’t know where it originates though.
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Champion December 2022
Michelle · on April 3, 2021 at 12:30 PM
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Up until Covid started, we've seen quite a few receiving lines. Not a fan of table visits, but will always vote for dismissing the rows. Contrary to belief it goes very quickly and the couple greets everyone.
Trust your photographer and their timeline unless they are brand new. What they do is work backward from the reception start time.
6pm start time. Figure 20 minutes drive with traffic to be safe, 5 minutes to dismiss rows, 15 min non religious ceremony, gives you 40 minutes total. Pad in photos before and after ceremony, with the bulk before and easily do a 4:30pm ceremony.
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Lady · on April 5, 2021 at 10:09 AM
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Receiving lines are awesome and I don't understand why people are so anti. It will not take 30 minutes to say hello and hear congrats from 60 guests. It's a very quick greeting, not a conversation with every person. Only have you and your FI in the line (they take forever when parents and bridal party, etc are involved).
Also love the idea of dismissing rows (this is what we did). It took MAYBE 20 minutes and we had almost 200 people.
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