Receiving line? Dismiss by rows? Greet at reception?

If you go around at dinner, make sure you and your new husband have a chance to actually eat at some point. We are not having a receiving line, mostly because it takes a long time and we know everyone, our wedding party doesn't know everyone and probably doesn't care about meeting our guests. We are having our reception buffet style and will probably just walk around as people are coming back from getting their food before we sit down for our dinner.

My only advice is that in a receiving line, the guests are ones moving, and so they control how much time each spends with you and how long it takes. If you go around to tables at the reception, you and FH are the ones moving, and so you control how much time you spend with each person and how long it takes.

I think a receiving line is boring. We're going around at dinner. If you have 105 I would guess you have about 12 tables....if you take a few minutes at each table it will take an hour.

I personally am thinking we will do a receiving line into the courtyard. I like the idea and its folks to stick around for a few minutes, maybe a large group picture and exit picture with bubbles

We are meeting & greeting at our guest tables during the reception!

I've seen a lot of people say they were so glad they did a receiving line in their back and married posts. We weren't going to do one but after reading those I think we will...

We are going to walk to people's tables. I've always found receiving lines to be extremely awkward congratulating people I've never met. I don't want to put our guests through the weirdness.

We're doing to do the "dismiss by row" method. We figured it might go faster than the both combined. We will also be going around tables during the reception.

We're not doing anything. I'll make a speech at the reception thanking everyone.

We're doing the same at OTW - giving a speech before dinner thanking everyone. We'll probably "work the room" a little but won't carve out specific time to do so.

DH and I did a receiving line in the back of the church for around 96 guests. It worked well for us.

We were going to do a receiving line, but we are REALLY constricted on time for our photos so we may just do a thank you toast after the matron of honor and best man speeches. If I can write something short, sweet and meaningful we may go that route. I'm not sure yet.

Where I'm from, I've never been to a wedding where both a receiving line was done AND the b&g walked around at the reception. So we are going to do both, although we're going to try to move everything along as quickly as possible.

We are doing a receiving line at the church, we have at least 200 guests coming and walking around during dinner we won't actually get to enjoy our reception.

We are planning to dismiss by rows out of the church.

We aren't doing a receiving line to save time on pics...plus I have been a BM in too many receiving lines that I have felt awkward in so don't want to have my BP feel awkward. We will doing a speech and making our way around the tables during the night.

Cristi & Ryan, we're also doing both. We have 125 guests (expecting 100 since a lot are from out of town).

Receiving lines are somewhat more convenient for the bride and groom, and slow creeping death by boredom and discomfort for everyone else. If I'm going to stand in line for an hour, there better be Space Mountain at the end. It's just so uncomfortable to stand in line, in fancy shoes and dress clothes, and usually outdoors, for heaven knows how long while Cousin Suebeth talks the groom's ear off.

Barbara is right - a receiving line can only move as quickly as your most long-winded guest, and one Chatty Cathy can throw the whole process into a grinding halt. Better to be served your dinner first, eat, then move from table to table quickly greeting your guests so you have control over how long it takes.

FWIW, yes, couples say they should have done a receiving line in their BAM posts. But that doesn't make it the right thing to do - the comfort of your friends and family should outweigh your personal convenience.

We did a receiving line at the back of the church for over 250 guests, and yes it did require patience for guests, but they were released by row by the ushers so none had to stand very long; we also had the pianist playing songs while they were waiting and we did not have any of the bridal party in line with us. It actually went pretty quickly and we got to greet everyone personally.