EDIT: If you're doing a receiving line, I have questions. (Former title: Are you doing a receiving line?)

Noooo, we aren't. I have been to a couple weddings that had them and they felt super uncomfortable to me. We plan to just go table to table.

NO! Receiving lines are long, awkward and boring.

If you insist on one, please do not force the bridal party to participate. The last wedding I stood up in had us a part of the receiving line and it was very awkward having people I didn't know walk up to me, shake my hand or hug me and tell ME congratulations....WTF for?!?! I'm not the one getting married, don't congratulate me!

I was at a wedding reception this weekend where half the guests left immediately following dinner. The B&G didn't see more than half their guests, and it just felt like a clusterf*** and the B&G being pulled in multiple directions. They only did their first dance and didn't really get a chance to do anything but try to make it to all of the tables. I want to make sure to at least have a chance to greet all of my guests even if they leave early and even it it's only for a short time.

I guess I should change my title as I actually have questions about if you're doing a receiving line lol.

No, they're awkward and take far too long. We just did table visits. Especially with that number of guests. Just do you two if you do it though. It will go faster and probably your guests know you and not your parents/bridal party. If I want to see someone's parents, I'll catch up with them later.

As for when...probably when you leave the ceremony. If you do it before the reception, the guests who go first will then just be sitting around at their tables with little to do until you finish. After the ceremony they can head for the cocktail hour and get a drink and mingle and enjoy themselves. The ones I've seen have always been right after the ceremony.

We did, and I don't regret it. We did NOT include the wedding party. We had both of us, plus the parents. I agree with Maltese that it's extremely awkward for the wedding party to be in the receiving line.

Our receiving line was immediately after the ceremony. It was a good way to get people to leave, lol. (also, we ended up with 93 guests if your curious). I can't remember how long it took but it was less than the time I had allocated. Sorry, I've already forgotten the specifics from September, lol.

I think they only work with a smaller wedding...anything over 65 guests or so takes a bit of time to go through...and if you're the last person in that receiving line, you could be waiting upwards of a half hour to get into the venue.

ETA: If you limit the RL to Bride, groom and parents, then it can go by a lot quicker

Also, we additionally toasted each table during dinner, but this is a tradition for my family. I felt that even though we visited each table, we didn't get to specifically speak to each person, so I'm glad that we did the receiving line as well.

Our venue is a yacht and will set sail at exactly 7:30 on the dot. So guests can arrive between 7 and 7:29 and board. We will most likely stand just inside the entrance and greet everyone as they arrive. It should be easy for us. Also, dinner is a "strolling dinner" because that's how the venue does it so there are no assigned tables which would make table visits difficult. It will just be me and DH doing the receiving line. Eta: we are inviting around 70 guests so it should be quick and easy.

I'm not doing one, however just limit it to the two of you and your parents. It gets really long and the BP always feels awkward standing and greeting and thanking people that they don't even know most of the time.

We did, just us two. We arrived before the guests so we were able to greet them as they came in. A hug, a kiss, an ooh and an ah and done.

I don't like table visits. Let me eat, let the bride and groom eat. Same for table pictures. BLORP.

Thank you! I was thinking it was just the two of us, but then I started reading some etiquette on them (see the knot "receiving line etiquette, options, tips") and it seemed like everyone and their mother stood in the lines. So I wasn't sure if I needed to include anybody else.

And I grew up in the South with very a Southern family. (I know that not all Southerners do them, and that they're pretty traditional.) But I dislike table visits because I know I'll miss people. I'll still circulate after dinner and have more conversation, but I want to do a receiving line to at least get a "thank you for coming/being here" to each guest since everyone whose invited is a close friend/family member.

You should do it immediately after the ceremony. It will be too complicated to corral everyone between cocktail hour and the reception...not to mention, guests will be ready to get to their seats and begin dinner.

Just also wanted to say that table visits should be done during dinner. The bride and groom eat first then go table to table while guests are still eating. So I don't get why guests leaving immediately after dinner would affect table visits.

We did an unplanned receiving line. It was great!! After our ceremony, our guests lined up to the side of the gazebo. We took the carriage to the side and walked through them blowing bubbles. Then, most people (on their way into the reception) stopped and said hi while we stood there. It was great! If they didn't want to, they went right inside. We only had about 60 guests, but it took maybe 10 minutes and we got to give hugs and say hi. Many of our guests, I don't see often, so it was so great for us.

We did one at the church. It was us, our parents and our Church sponsor (I asked her first). The rest of the bridal party was off doing other things. We had over 200 people at the church so it was the best way to speak to everyone and it went by really quick. I kept getting distracted at the Hall and never made it to all the tables.

I personally hate them. They take FAR longer than you think; 200 guests can easily take close to an hour.

If you do it, it should only be you and your parents and if you can, serve drinks to everyone on line. It should be right after the ceremony.

We are definitely doing one - we're both European - my mom went to a wedding without a receiving line like 5 years ago and she STILL complains about it lol.

We're doing the receiving line during cocktail hour, as people walk into the reception space.

Definitely FH and I will be there, and our parents can mill about or stand beside us if they want, but given a lot of people will also want to say hi to them, they will definitely stay close. There will also be a table of "welcome shots" manned by the bridal party (we've got 6 bridesmaids and 6 groomsmen, and they will take shifts so none end up too drunk before dinner lol) for people to take one as they walk in and then enjoy cocktail hour.

I like reception lines. I like being able to say hi and seeing the couple's parents too and being able to congratulate everyone. I don't like table visits - I agree with everyone above about not wanting to interrupt people's dinners and also wanting to eat something myself!

@Celia, we had 200 and didn't take that long at all as people filtered thru the line rather quick. I want to say 20 minutes.

We are doing one right after the ceremony and likely it will be us and our parents but really I don't know if my FFIL will want to do it. I don't know about including the wedding party or not I might just send them off to the location we are taking pictures but typically in my family they are included. We will have between 200 and 300 guests. Often weddings I attend they don't take long, maybe 20 minutes.

I plan to have a receiving line right after the ceremony, just FH and I. We'll have about 120 guests. Any RL I've been through was pretty quick, just a "Hi! Congratulations! You look beautiful" etc. I would feel guilty if there were people that I missed talking to.