An opinion on visiting tables

As I said this is my personal opinion. And I know for a fact that one particular wedding I was one of the ones at a table with a motor mouth the bride/groom talk about how they talked to everyone. No they really didnt they talked to someone at every table but not everyone! Had I gotten to talk to the bride for a moment I had another gift for them in my purse but I did not want them to "open it" in front of their parents so it stayed in my purse and I gave it to another friend a few weeks later.

I personally don't like receiving lines. It sucks for the guests that have to wait in them. They are boring and then you awkwardly say hi to the bride & groom for like two seconds.

We just went around to every table. We were served our dinner first so we were able to eat. It took us like ten minutes to eat and dinner lasted an hour. We went around to each table...nobody left before dinner was over. I very carefully arranged the table assignments so there weren't any of my parent's friends sitting with my friends. We managed our time well so we spent around the same amount of time at each table...though we spent a little more time with our grandparents & less time with friends of our parents.

This, like so many situations surrounding weddings, is another episode in "to each his/her own."

everyone enjoy, no matter how you do it!

I'm still going for the tables visits because there is nothing worse than standing in a giant slow moving line just to quickly shake hands with the couple. You get more visiting in when you pop over to a table. I plan to talk to the table as a group. That means 15 visits for me, 15 visits for my FH.

We will start with the older people who are likely to leave first. Then each of us will split up and get to ask many of the other tables as possible.

I have 250 guests- if I waited and did a receiving line after the ceremony I wouldn't have any time left for pictures.

I also feel like it's awkward! I mean, who the F am I? The queen of England and everyone must greet me? Hell no... get you some food, get to dancing and have FUN!

I did the rounds at the tables thing. When I was guest, I hated receiving lines because I felt rushed like I was holding up the line.

Both have their pros and cons. I wasn't able to get to everyone (and we only had 60 guests) and DH ran off halfway through greeting people so it was just me.

YES! Yes yes yes....my thoughts exactly. I've only been to one wedding where there wasn't a receiving line, and the couple missed about 6 tables all together and the bride didm't even come to our table, only the groom (who was friends with FH).

I did a receiving line..I still felt the need to try to talk to everyone..people are going to want to get their own pictures with you even if you saw them at the receiving line..I in a way regret doing the line. Typically people before they leave the reception should come up to you and say bye. I feel like as a guest that's rude not to let the couple know you are leaving.

We are going around to the tables. I have been to a wedding where they did the receiving line and most people did not stop because it was rushed. We have 126 guests and they are the kinda of people do not stay at their table for long so we will mingle on the dance floor.

Why would anyone feel like they are intruding by coming up to the coupe and talking to them? If you are a guest at a wedding then you probably are a friend or a relative of the couple and they would want to talk to you. If you are neither and you don't really know the couple then yes, you are intruding just by being there. The couple is already feeding their guests and making sure they are entertained, give them a break and let them enjoy their day in peace. They'll send everyone a thank you note, that should be enough.

We are doing both. We don't want to miss anyone.

We are doing a receiving line. In fact, one of the reasons I chose the venue is that everyone leaves the ceremony room for cocktail hour so we have an area where the receiving line would make sense. In my experience, anyone that has gone table to table didn't get much time with the guests at each table. Plus FH is a smoker so I know that he plans to be outside a bit and I don't want to go table to table alone.

I dont want to do either, i want to partayyyyy not mingle... wtf? but im sure ill come around really quick maybe wave to everyone get it over with quickly. haha

No receiving line. Visited all tables. Got to everybody. Still got to sit down and eat.

We're planning to visit all the tables. Like Valerie was talking about, I'd be concerned about people talking too long in a receiving line while others are forced to just stand and wait. At least if they're sitting at their table, there's stuff for them to do/other people for them to talk to. I can see how this would be an issue for larger weddings, but I think there should be plenty of time to go around to tables for crowds of 150 or less.

At the last wedding I went to, I just walked up to my friend's sweetheart table before they'd been served dinner while we were lining up for the buffet and offered her and her new husband a quick congratulations, then they came around to each table, and I was able to catch up with multiple times during the reception, as was everyone else. She had about 120 people and I'm positive they spoke to everyone at least once.

I don't see how over the course of the reception (usually 4 hours? Mine will be 5...maybe more, if we're able to get through pictures quickly)...there wouldn't be enough time to talk to everyone? I suppose it depends on your timeline and number of guests though.

I will say though, I have never actually seen anyone do a receiving line...after joining WW, I had to look up what it was. The concept sounds absurdly boring and awkward for everyone involved...guests and the couple.

Some weddings just have a different tone though...if that fits yours, then do what works for ya