No receiving line or table-to-table?

That's a really interesting idea @Lori. I'll keep that in mind.

We are thinking about doing a receiving line, but we will be around for our cocktail/social hour and our caterer is doing food stations for dinner so the atmosphere will really be about socializing (high tops and regular tables will be set up though for those wishing to sit) and interacting. I think this will up us interact with out guests.

We didn't do a receiving line but we did go table to table. After our introduction & dance, our photographers pulled us outside for some more pics then by the time we went in, people were already eating. Before we got all sweaty & gross from dancing, we went to each table & took a picture with each table while everyone was still seated. Some of them were eating but they didn't mind, they were happy to see us - got up & hugged & kissed us.

I really like AG13's post, "I went to one wedding where at the end of the ceremony after the couple, BP, and family left the couple came back and stood at each aisle saying hello and thats when that aisle exited until everyone was gone and went to cocktail hour. I thought about doing that or just a normal receiving line." Honestly that sounds like the best idea for us.. I don't want to do table visits- but I also don't want to do a traditional receiving line-- it seems rude to make the guests just stand there twiddling their thumbs for half an hour before getting to say congrats to us. Also I was thinking that for the differently-abled of my fiance's family (his grandmother in a wheelchair, both parents use a cane) that they could be ushered into the Inn dining room and then we could greet them when we come inside. We are only having 50 people so greeting them as they leave their chair sounds like a good idea.

We're doing a receiving line but not table-to-table. It will be quick and right after the ceremony... a "hug, thank you for coming, congrats, move along/next" sort of thing. We'll mingle throughout the evening obviously. I'm very good at mingling and hosted a party with around a 100 people at my lake in June, so I figure I know how to divide my time and make people feel welcome.

I would like to do a receiving line as well, but i would like to do it after cocktail hour and as everyone makes their way to their table for dinner. I'm not interested in going to each table, not that i won't be mingling at the reception, but i would like to get my 'thank yous' in before dinner.

I have a large wedding (300+ people) and am doing a receiving line. This is kind of the norm for us and it'll be much quicker than trying to visit 30 tables at our reception.

We did both, sort of. I really wanted the receiving line and we did it. It was great to see everyone and say hi. There is a line to get their place cards anyways, so I really didn't think it look all that extra of time. We did go table to table and I wish we hadn't. By the time we got to the last ones people weren't there (dj had us do this but then broke us back to do speeches, I hated the whole timeline). I had someone comment to us as well how it took time we should've just thanked everyone. If I could redo I would have the speeches while dinner was served and after dinner DH and I stand up and address everyone. Instead of going table to table thank them all for coming and celebrating and then invite them to join us on the dance floor, something like that. Would've saved a lot of time.

I don't think we will do either. I have hated standing in line for receiving lines as a guest and I don't want to put my guests through that. The wait always ends up being too long. No matter how quickly the bride and groom try to usher guests along it always seems to take forever (especially with my talkative family!). FH and I are actually really shy people so it'll be agony for us to table-hop during dinner. I have a feeling we're going to end up greeting all the guests throughout the reception. All of our guests are assertive enough to grab us if we haven't had a chance to say hi to them yet. None of them will let us get away with not greeting them lol.

We did what Lori did and it was a great option. Me and my husband stood at the entrance to the dining room as guests moved from cocktail hour to the dinner reception, and "welcomed" guests into the dining room. Yes, it was technically a receiving line, however, it was just the two of us, not parents and wedding party so the line moved faster. It was a great way to say hi and give a quick hug to everyone. The line moved fast - it took about 20 mins for 100 people. We were adadment about sitting and enjoying our dinner and not doing table visits so this worked out really well.

I'm really surprised at a lot of the responses on this one. I was sure it'd be a solid consensus that the B&G need to go out of their way to ensure they greet and THANK everyone for coming. Whether you do a receiving line or table-to-table, you need to thank people. Not wait for people to come to you and hope that you see everyone...

We're only going to have about 10 tables (we expect 80-90 people at the wedding), so we're going to go table to table. I know the conversations can seem pretty rushed, but I think it's important to show your appreciation to your guests.